LA County To Observe 25th Annual World AIDS Day

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — The first-ever global health awareness day, World AIDS Day, was first held in 1988.

Sunday marks the 25th annual day, as organizers put it, "to unite the world in the fight against HIV and to show support for people living with HIV and to commemorate people who have died."

Several events will be held globally and many locally to mark the day.

The LA Daily News reports many health and community organizations are offering free HIV testing.

Among the events:

AIDS Project Los Angeles is holding a countywide food drive to help those with HIV. Food drop off locations (from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.) include welcome 10 a.m. Akbar (collecting all week), 4356 Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles; APLA Necessities of Life Program Warehouse, 7336 Bellaire Ave., North Hollywood; Ben & Jerry's Union Station, 800 N. Alameda Ave., Unit K4, Los Angeles; Pavilions West Hollywood, 8969 Santa Monica Blvd., West Hollywood; and Berkshire Hathaway Home Services California Properties, 540 S. Lake Ave., Pasadena; 9696 Wilshire Blvd., 3rd Floor, Beverly Hills; and 16810 Ventura Blvd., Encino. APLA is looking for non-perishable food items and personal hygiene products. (For more info, click here.)

The AIDS Service Center is screening "We Were There: The AIDS Years In San Francisco," free, Armory Center for the Arts Community Room, 145 N. Raymond Avenue, Pasadena. (3 p.m.)

The AIDS Healthcare Foundation, Oasis of Peace Christian Fellowship Church and In The Meantime X-Homophobia Campaign are holding a gospel concert at the church at 2 p.m. (1376 E. 18th Street, Los Angeles.)

Noches de Las Memorias, an annual event by The Wall-Las Memorias, celebrates their 20th year of service with an afternoon of testimony, dance, poetry and storytelling, held at the AIDS Monument in Lincoln Park, 3600 Mission Road, Los Angeles, at 4 p.m.

View the AIDS Quilt (West Hollywood City Hall, 8300 Santa Monica Boulevard).

Free panel discussion on the works of Bob Mizer and Tom of Finland, sponsored by MOCA. West Hollywood City Council Chambers, 625 N. San Vicente, WeHo 90069, free, 3 p.m. RSVP required.

A candlelight vigil sponsored by AIDS/LifeCycle, held at West Hollywood Park, 647 N. San Vicente Blvd., free, 5:30 p.m.

For events being held in LA County throughout the week, click here.

In Orange County, the AIDS Services Foundation, in collaboration with the Laguna Art Museum, presents "A Day With(out) Art" from 2-4 p.m. Free and open to the public.

It's estimated that AIDS has killed more than 25 million people since 1981.