Sydney lights up World AIDS day

Underneath a dark summer-sky, the Sydney Opera House glowed red during a World AIDS Day reception attended by the prominent HIV advocates and activists involved in the global response to HIV/AIDS late Wednesday. The Sydney Opera House and the Sydney Harbor Bridge were bathed in red light for the global launch of World AIDS Day as part of a global campaign to create an AIDS-free global generation by 2015, and to reduce cases of mother-to-child transmission of HIV from 390,000 cases per year to zero by 2015. The iconic Australian landmarks were joined by more than 50 monuments and landmarks worldwide in turning red, while Australia' s Governor-General Quentin Bryce spoke of the new hope for people living with HIV. "Talking about ending the AIDS epidemic in the near term seemed impossible but new science, political support and community resources are starting to deliver clear and tangible results," She said. The Governor General was joined on stage in cutting a red ribbon symbolizing the goal of protecting children from being infected before birth. Statistics released by UNAIDS showed that the encouraging steps made in battling the global epidemic. But while new HIV infections are down over 20 percent since 1997, 34 million people are still living with HIV. The Australian Minister for Health and Aging, Hon Nicola Roxon said progress had been made but vigilance was required. "We need to keep reminding people that safe sex practice are critical in keeping HIV transmission in check and make it clearly understood that there is still as yet no cure or effective vaccine for HIV," She said. Last year, the number of people dying of AIDS-related causes fell to 1.8 million from a peak of 2.2 million per year in the mid- 2000s. More than 7,000 people every day still contract the illness which remains a source of discrimination and social loathing around the world.