Every year on Dec. 1, people across the globe commemorate World AIDS Day, one of the most important occasions to raise awareness for the disease that 33.4 million individuals suffer from.
For the first time in several years, Penn students held no prominent events in honor of the day. This lack of student interest and advocacy is troubling.
Marches, conferences and services marked the day in other places around the world. President Barack Obama issued a proclamation emphasizing the importance of the observation in reminding people that HIV/AIDS has not gone away.
In previous years, campus groups sought to bring attention to this issue by hosting events such as movie screenings and art installations. Students organized a rally on College Green in 2006. There was a concerted effort to shed light on the topic and educate students about it.
Students’ annual participation is crucial to the success of World AIDS Day. The disease remains as pressing a problem as ever, especially in Philadelphia, which has one of the highest incident rates of HIV in the nation.
We are disappointed by students’ inactivity this year. The Penn community should not have stayed silent. We hope that it finds its voice next Dec. 1.
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