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The public is invited to Snohomish County’s World AIDS day event on Monday, Dec. 1 to raise awareness, honor those lost to AIDS-related illnesses, and show solidarity with people living with HIV.
The event starts at 4:30 p.m. with an open house including refreshments, displays and activities at the Snohomish County Health Department, 3020 Rucker Ave., Everett. Health Officer Dr. James Lewis and Health Department Director Kim Van Pelt are scheduled to speak at about 5:15 p.m., according to a news release from Snohomish County.
At 5:30 p.m., participants will then walk to the county’s recently restored AIDS Memorial on the main county campus, just behind the Snohomish County Courthouse. The walk is uphill and takes about 10 minutes. Once there, Snohomish County Executive Dave Somers and community partners will give brief remarks.
World AIDS Day, which began in 1988, is a global day of remembrance and action to educate communities about HIV/AIDS, reduce stigma and highlight progress in prevention and treatment. More than 40 million people worldwide have died from AIDS-related causes, while an estimated 39 million people currently live with HIV.
Earlier this month, the Snohomish County Board of Health adopted a proclamation recognizing Dec. 1 as World AIDS Day.
“December 1 marks 20 years since the Snohomish County AIDS Memorial was first dedicated, and the beautiful artwork on the memorial was recently restored,” Somers said in a news release. “Two decades after it was unveiled, this shared space is as important as ever, and the work being done on education, prevention and treatment for HIV and AIDS remains vital.”
The first two cases of HIV in Snohomish County were reported on April 14, 1984, and May 20, 1985. The former Snohomish Health District (now the Snohomish County Health Department) began offering free testing to anyone who requested it, the county said.
Today, medical and public health advances have transformed HIV from a fatal diagnosis into a manageable chronic condition.
“By walking to and gathering at the memorial, the community honors the past while looking toward a future free of HIV-related stigma and discrimination,” said Carrie Parker, assistant director of prevention services for the Health Department, in a news release.
The event is co-sponsored by Everett Pride, Lifelong, AIDS Project Snohomish County and the county’s Executive Office and Health Department, according to the county.
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