In show of solidarity, UN tower lit up with red AIDS ribbon

Providing a visual curtain-raiser to the United Nations special session on HIV/AIDS, which opened this morning at UN Headquarters, over the past two nights the Secretariat Building stood out against the New York skyline emblazoned with a red ribbon - the symbol of solidarity in the fight against the epidemic.

The special lighting, which began on 23 June, aims to send a strong message of UN commitment to the battle against HIV/AIDS, while focusing attention on the special session.

The large AIDS ribbon was inscribed on the building by using red plastic film, which was temporarily attached to 550 designated windows on both the east and west sides of the Secretariat building. The materials were provided by Alkit Digital Imaging of New York City, which helped to make the project possible by offering concessionary prices to the UN.

The resulting image will be used on a special stamp issued early next year by the UN Postal Administration.

This historic project was undertaken by the UN Department of Public Information and the Joint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), along with its seven co-sponsors, the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF), the UN Development Programme (UNDP), the UN Population Fund (UNFPA), the UN International Drug Control Programme (UNDCP), the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Bank.