Citywide events to mark World AIDS Day

Vigils, concerts and exhibitions will take place across the city today, as we join communities across the world to mark World AIDS Day on Monday 1 December.

The day is an opportunity to show solidarity with people living with HIV, to remember those we have lost and to renew our commitment to ending new HIV cases by 2030.

In Brighton & Hove, 99% of people living with HIV are on effective treatment and cannot pass it on during sex. Terrence Higgins Trust’s  campaign ‘Can’t Pass It On’ aims to end stigma and reduce transmission.

Events in the city

The Brighton & Hove World AIDS Day Community Partnership is holding a series of events to mark the global campaign:

Candlelit vigil

A public vigil and reading of names, offering a chance for reflection, will be held at the New Steine Gardens, St James’s St  on Monday 1 December from 6pm to 7pm, all welcome.

World AIDS Day concert

Brighton & Hove’s LGBT choirs and musicians are coming together once again for their annual World AIDS Day fundraising concert at St Mary’s Church in Kemptown on 1 December at 7.30pm (doors open at 7pm).

This year’s performers include Actually Gay Men’s Chorus, Brighton Gay Men’s Chorus, Rainbow Chorus, Resound and Brighton Rox.

All proceeds from ticket sales, interval refreshments, the raffle and a bucket collection on the door will go to Lunch Positive, supporting people living with HIV in Brighton & Hove.

Brighton AIDS Memorial exhibition

A new World AIDS Day exhibition is on at Brighton’s Jubilee Library until 7 December, showcasing eight hand-sewn panels dedicated to individuals who lost their lives to AIDS.

The exhibition runs alongside the Brighton & Hove Hankie Quilt, a local project to commemorate people lost to HIV in the city.  The World AIDS Day exhibition is produced in partnership with our BHCC LGBTQ+ Workers Forum.

Red ribbon

Residents are encouraged to wear a red ribbon and share photos on social media to help raise awareness.

The red ribbon is a global symbol of support for people living with HIV and a reminder that HIV has not gone away.

Fast Track City

Brighton & Hove is proud to be a Fast Track City, working with local charities and health partners through our Local HIV Action Plan to make HIV testing easy and accessible.

Regular testing saves lives, and people on effective treatment cannot pass HIV on. This is known as U=U: Undetectable = Untransmittable.

Other ways to reduce the risk of getting HIV include using a medication called PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis), alongside regular testing and safe practices.

Councillor Mitchie Alexander, Cabinet Member for Communities, Equalities and Adult Social Care, said: “World AIDS Day is a chance for us to come together as a city to show support for people living with HIV, to reduce stigma and to promote testing. 

“Brighton & Hove has a proud history of standing up for equality and inclusion, and we remain committed to ending new HIV cases by 2030. The first step towards zero new HIV infections is to increase HIV testing so that it becomes routine and normalised.”

Find out more

Local services offering free and confidential HIV testing and support include:

• Martin Fisher Foundation - promoting HIV prevention and testing
• Lunch Positive – providing community support and meals
• The Sussex Beacon – offering specialist care and wellbeing services
• Brighton Sexual Health Service - book a free and confidential HIV test through the

Find out more details on local services or get support with your sexual health.