The US government just quietly canceled World AIDS Day after nearly four decades of recognition
The United States government is instructing its employees to “refrain from messaging” the commemoration of World AIDS Day, according to the New York Times .
The outlet viewed an email from the State Department that instructed employees not to spread messages about commemorative days, “including World AIDS Day,” and not to use any funds to commemorate the day.
World AIDS Day, which falls on Dec. 1, is a day when people mourn those who have died from the disease and raise awareness about AIDS.
Since 1988, the United States government has commemorated World AIDS Day. This year will be the first that it will not.
Tommy Pigott, a spokesperson for the State Department, told the New York Times that the Trump administration seeks to modernize its approach to tackling such diseases and said “an awareness day is not a strategy.”
Even though the State Department is urging its employees not to spread messaging about commemorative days, President Donald Trump has issued proclamations for other commemorative observances, such as Anti-Communism Week and World Autism Awareness Day.
Employees and grantees can still “tout the work” being done to fight AIDS and attend commemoration-related events, the New York Times reported. The email, however, reiterates that employees and grantees should “refrain from publicly promoting World AIDS Day through any communication channels, including social media, media engagements, speeches or other public-facing messaging,” according to the New York Times.
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