by Alyne Mariaria

Cleveland--With over 70 million cumulative cases of HIV and AIDS globally, and 1.1 million living cases in the U.S., AIDS is no longer someone else?s challenge. It?s everyone?s.

In northeast Ohio, cities across the region have once again responded to the call of this year?s World AIDS Day??Leadership??by declaring Saturday, December 1 World AIDS Day in large cities, rural areas, and small towns.

?Last year we were inspired by the fact that 20 cities in Northeast Ohio made World AIDS Day proclamations,? said Earl Pike, executive director of the AIDS Taskforce of Greater Cleveland. ?This year, ten more have joined the call, and more are coming in. It affirms the reality that AIDS is not merely a challenge to a few, but to all of us, and all of us need to collectively respond?to step up, as the theme of World AIDS Day this year suggests, and take leadership.?

In all, 30 cities have issued or plan to issue formal World AIDS Day declarations. Last year the cities of Brunswick, Cleveland, Cleveland Heights, Eastlake, Euclid, Garfield Heights, Highland Hills, Maple Heights, Lakewood, Mentor-on-the-Lake, North Royalton, Oberlin, Orange, Parma, Pepper Pike, South Euclid, Vermillion, Westlake, Wickliffe, and Willoughby?among others?issued proclamations.

This year they are joined by Avon, Beachwood, Brook Park, Brecksville, Chardon, Brooklyn, East Cleveland, Claridon, Fairlawn, Glen Willow, Lyndhurst, Medina, Painseville, and University Heights.

The proclamations call upon cities and townships to ?reaffirm our commitment to support a compassionate community response to HIV/AIDS,? and asks citizens to ?talk openly about HIV/AIDS in their homes, in workplaces, in schools, and in faith community settings so that together, we can take on the challenge of personal and community ?Leadership? and build a world free of HIV/AIDS.?

Alyne Mariaria is a public policy associate with the AIDS Taskforce of Greater Cleveland.