Everything began in 1991, when the red ribbon was created on a charity initiative in New York, called the Visual Aids. The red ribbon's main purpose was to remind and unite everybody searching a reasonable explanation for Aids.
This initiative joined people of art, who wonted to use their own talent and resources to create something for Aids, a fixed symbol. Once the red ribbon was made, it became popular through the television and some big public events.
It is not at all necessary to be famous in order to wear the ribbon. Its first official promotion was on the concert in the memory of Freddie Mercury. The concert gathered 70 000 people on the Wembley stadium in London in April 1992. Princess Dianna also made a contribution on the concert of Hope on the World Aids day. Today people express their support throughout the world by wearing the red ribbon.
Wearing the ribbon also shows concern, commitment and hope for the people who live with Aids or have lost someone. While I was studying about the disease and the ways of protection I received a badge illustrating the red ribbon. The man who gave it to me said that from now on I would not only have to wear the badge, respectively everything it meant, but also to share my knowledge about the disease. I know that education is the best way to prevent being infected or to infect someone else. Therefore I believe that a person who wears the red ribbon should be ready to respond to every question that concerns Aids and be happy to educate as many people as he can.
The red ribbon was the first fixed symbol that appealed even to the people who had not met the terrible consequences of the disease. Now people are more educated on this serious matter and know how to care for themselves in a better way. Nevertheless there are still people who are getting infected and as the infection is rapidly destroying their immune system, education must continue to spread through people all over the world until Aids fades entirely away.
