Sydney Opera House turns red to commemorate World AIDS Day

Sydney Opera House turns red to commemorate World AIDS Day, as the United Nations sets a target of 50 percent reduction in new infections by 2015.

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA (NOVEMBER 30, 2012) (REUTERS) -  To commemorate World AIDS Day on December 1, the Sydney Opera House was lit red on Friday (November 30) followed by a fireworks display.

The United Nations has set a target of 50 percent reduction in new infections by 2015 a move supported by Rob Lake, Executive Director of the Australian Federation of AIDS Organisation (AFAO) and Lake believes that the goal of eradicating new HIV infections worldwide is now reachable."It's an ambitious goal, it's hard to know. We want to get it by 2015 but we want to get to it. If it's 2016 that's OK. That's the thing about a target, if you haven't got one you've got nothing to go for and, across the world countries with much worse epidemics than us have taken on this same target. So, it's important that we do as well. The other thing to bear in mind is that we are part of a global community and so when we ask our government to think about HIV and to respond positively to HIV, it's not just about HIV in Australia, it's also about HIV in the world. So it's about funding the global fund to ensure that medications are available to people across the world, whereever they are," said Lake while visiting a photographic exhibition of images of people with HIV and AIDS at the Power House Museum inSydney.

The Australian government is committed to reducing the number of people becoming infected or dying of AIDS and to increase access to testing and treatment according to Federal Health Minister, Tanya Plibersek.

"Here in Australia we also seen, although we've got very low rates by international standards and a very effective response by international standards, in recent years we've seen a small up-tick in the number of new infections and that's something we need to get on top of," she said.

Observed worldwide on 1 December, World AIDS Day has become a day when people are able to come together to remember those who have died from AIDS and is also a time to recognise the progress that has been made to help ending the disease.

"I think it's a very moving day for a lot of people. It's a time when a lot of people remember friends or family members that they've lost to AIDS and it's a very important day for a younger generation to understand that although HIV and AIDS are not as prevalent in Australia as they are in many parts of the world there is no reason to be complacent," said Plibersek.

According to UNAIDS, in 2011, there were 34 million people living with HIV across the globe, with Sub-Saharan Africa having nearly one in every 20 adults becoming infected, and 1.7 million people dying from AIDS related illnesses worldwide, 24 percent fewer deaths than in 2005.