Baltimore, Dec 1 (THAINDIAN NEWS) The historic World AIDS Day, is today, i.e. on December 1 each year. It is exclusively dedicated to raising awareness of the AIDS pandemic caused by the spread of the dreaded HIV infection. It is a practice to hold memorials to honor people who have died from HIV/AIDS on this day. Government and health officials also observe the event, often with speeches or forums on the AIDS topics. Since 1995, the President of the United States has made an official proclamation on World AIDS Day.

AIDS has been responsible for killing around 25 million people, which includes numerous little children too, who may have been transmitted the infection from their parents. In 2007 itself, it gobbled up at least 2 million lives.

Today on the ‘World AIDS DAY’ people and other organizations are doing their best to raise awareness and promote safe sex, which could help in preventing HIV infections in a major way. Google Search Engine also has the ‘Red Ribbon’ which is the global symbol for solidarity with AIDS, on its website. The quiet popular micro-blogging and social networking site Twitter has also gone red. In fact, if anybody tweets about ‘AIDS’ then that tweet appears ‘red’ to distinguish it from the normal tweets.

Whereas major cities in US are going to deck up in red lights to show their solidarity with the AIDS victims. Baltimore will join many other cities across the US today and deck a signature landmark in red lights to observe World AIDS Day.

The Monumental City has chosen the Washington Monument in Mount Vernon Place and will turn the nearly 200-foot tower red at 7 p.m. in honor of the World AIDS Day today. Other cities participating in this exercise are San Francisco, New York, Los Angeles amongst others.