On Friday, as part of the commemoration of World AIDS Day, an annual large-scale candle procession will be held in Kyiv, reported the press service of the Kyiv City State Administration to UNIAN.
The procession will be attended by representatives of the All-Ukrainian Network of People Living with AIDS, Konviktus Ukraina organization, Club Enei, workers and volunteers of the Red Cross Society in Ukraine, representatives of governmental and non-governmental organizations dealing with problems of AIDS in Ukraine, andguests.
From 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m., before a charitable gala concert "Do not give AIDS a chance," near the central entrance to the Palace Ukraine, young people, volunteers, workers of the Red Cross, representatives of charitable organizations dealing with AIDS problems and all interested persons will form a candle "Red Ribbon," the symbol of understanding and support of people living with AIDS.
The main goal of the event is for unifying with and understanding AIDS-infected people, fostering of tolerant attitude to AIDS-infected people, overcoming the stigma and discrimination of people living with AIDS, and drawing attention of the public, primarily, young people and representatives of the authorities, to the AIDS epidemic in Ukraine.
The report of the city council says that the rate AIDS is spreading in Ukraine is one of the highest in the world and has increased annually by 25-30% since 1994. According to experts, under these conditions, about 800 thousand Ukrainians, that is 3-3.5% of the adult population of Ukraine, will be infected by 2014, and the respective death rate will constitute one third of the causes of death of all men of the age range of 15-49 and nearly 50% of women of that age range. According to the official statistics, in 2009, in Ukraine, 54 persons daily were diagnosed with AIDS.