The Campaign Theme - Why a focus on “Stop AIDS. Keep the Promise.”?

The choice of “Stop AIDS. Keep the Promise” arose from earlier campaign consultations undertaken in 2003. At that time, when Women and AIDS was chosen as the campaign theme, two other themes emerged: taking personal responsibility in the fight against AIDS, and accountability. Given the shift of the World AIDS Campaign to advocate for the fulfilment of the Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS and subsequent policy commitments on AIDS, the newly-established Global Steering Committee recommended ‘Stop AIDS. Keep the Promise’ as the tag line of the transformed World AIDS Campaign.

The agreement by Heads of State and Representatives of Government to support the Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS marked a milestone in the history of the AIDS epidemic. It sent a signal from governments that urgency would be needed in addressing the devastation of the HIV/AIDS global epidemic with leadership, honesty and action. While nations around the world have made previous commitments to fight AIDS in their own countries, this was the first time they gathered to recognize that AIDS was a global crisis requiring global action.

The Declaration set out specific commitments the international community would work to fulfill upon their return home – including prevention campaigns, reducing stigma, building health infrastructures, providing necessary resources, and ensuring treatment, care and respect for people living with HIV or AIDS. In many cases, these commitments included specific deadlines, making the Declaration a powerful tool to guide and secure action, support and resources for all those fighting the epidemic, both within and outside government.

To fight AIDS, the Declaration turns again and again to the theme of partnership among all sectors of society – from governments and the United Nations system to business, labour, faith-based organizations, the media, and, importantly, people living with HIV or AIDS. The World AIDS Campaign will focus on that commitment to partnership and will call for the international community to be accountable to the promises they made within the UNGASS Declaration of Commitment and the subsequent ones they made in order to ensure the Declaration of Commitment is fully realized. These historic commitments to action in the fight against AIDS are not solely aimed at political leaders but at us all. Everyone has a role to play in fighting HIV and AIDS. We hope you will be inspired by these commitments and will support the World AIDS Campaign to ensure that everyone ‘Keeps the Promise’. As Kofi Annan, UN Secretary-General, said at the Special Session, "All of us must recognize AIDS as our problem. All of us must make it our priority."