Austria: World AIDS Day 2021 – AIDS aid Vienna and Wiener Lenin call for solidarity with people living with HIV

From November 22 to December 6, 2021, all trams operate in Vienna and have flags on which the Aids Hilfe Wien emblem “red ribbon” can be seen.

VIENNA (OTS) – Even forty years after the first cases of AIDS appeared, the world is still far from achieving the common goal of ending the epidemic. Not because of a lack of knowledge or tools to reduce new HIV infections and fight AIDS, but because of structural inequalities that make access to HIV prevention and treatment more difficult.

Especially with regard to the current challenges associated with the pandemic, a sense of responsibility and a commitment to solidarity with one another is particularly important. As Aids Hilfe Wien, we are calling on people to show the tape against the exclusion and unequal treatment of people living with HIV on the occasion of World AIDS Day on the 1st of December.

Information about this below www.aids.at/weltaidstag

The “red ribbon” symbol is a sign of solidarity with people living with HIV. And that solidarity is still urgently needed today. Because people living with HIV continue to experience discrimination and exclusion today. So we promote the cause of HIV/AIDS for all people on the streets of Vienna to be seen. I am very happy that the flag campaign for World AIDS Day is taking place in collaboration with Wiener Linien Support,” confirms Andrea Brunner, Managing Director of Aids Hilfe Wien.

Wiener Linien symbolizes active tolerance and solidarity. “With the flags on over 500 of our trams, we are also putting a clear sign of equitable cooperation,” said Alexandra Reingel, managing director of Wiener Linien.

HIV Today – The Facts

• If diagnosed and treated in time, people with HIV now have almost a life expectancy and can live and work like other people.
• Approximately 42.5% of infected people only know that they have advanced HIV infection. Reasons for infection remaining unnoticed for a long time can be lack of awareness of the risks or fear of diagnosis (also due to possible social discrimination).[1
• Schwerer als die gesundheitlichen Folgen der Infektion selbst wiegen heute für viele Menschen mit HIV Diskriminierung und die Angst davor.

Es geht also um den Abbau von Vorurteilen und Diskriminierung einerseits und um die Aufklärung rund um HIV/AIDS andererseits.

Die Aktivitäten rund um den Welt-AIDS-Tag, wie die Flaggenaktion mit den Wiener Linien, tragen in diesem Sinne maßgeblich dazu bei, das Bewusstsein zu schärfen, um letztlich Diskriminierung im Zusammenhang mit HIV zu reduzieren. Alle Aktionen sind der aktuellen Situation entsprechend adaptiert und finden daher entweder Online oder als Visibility-Aktionen im öffentlichen Raum statt.

Weiterführende Links:

Alle Aktionen und die Unterstützer*innen der Straßenbahnlinien finden Sie auf: www.weltaidstag.at

Infos zu HIV/AIDS: www.aids.at

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[1 Zentrum f. Virologie d. Med. Universität Wien (2020), AHIVCOS (2019), Zoufaly (2020)

Quelle: OTS