Postcards feature special lighting for Red December.

On Monday, the Rio de Janeiro City Hall illuminated some of the city's main landmarks to mark World AIDS Day, celebrated on December 1st, and the start of the Red December campaign. Organized by the Municipal Health Department (SMS), the action reinforces the city's commitment to prevention, timely diagnosis, and combating stigma.

The Penha Church, the Lapa Arches, the Christmas tree in Botafogo Cove, the Estácio de Sá Monument, and the Carlos Gomes Theater were illuminated on November 29th and 30th, and also on December 1st. The Christ the Redeemer Sanctuary also received special lighting on Monday night.

The Health Prevention Coordinator, Carlos Tufvesson, emphasizes that the initiative follows the international calendar and plays an important role in raising public awareness.

– The red lighting draws attention to an issue that still requires ongoing care, quality information, and support. Rio has made significant progress in prevention and treatment, but we continue working to ensure that no one is left behind.

In recent years, the municipality has recorded improvements in indicators: a gradual decrease in new cases, a reduction in late diagnoses, and a significant expansion in the availability of Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP), which now reaches tens of thousands of active users. On Monday, the Municipal Health Department published a Epidemiological bulletin on HIV/AIDS which reveals the best scenery the city has seen in the decade.

The Municipal Health Department (SMS) emphasizes that the lighting is symbolic, but strategic, in keeping HIV on the agenda and encouraging the population to seek testing, guidance, and care. The World AIDS Day program includes prevention actions, educational activities, and testing at health units throughout the city.

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December 2, 2025

Appointments: Postcards Red December World AIDS Day lighting