University volunteers from Xi'an, Northwest China's Shaanxi Province attach ribbons to a billboard to mark World AIDS Day, which falls on December 1 every year. Photo: VCG

 The opening ceremony of an event to promote AIDS awareness among young Chinese students was held on Tuesday in Beijing ahead of the 33rd World AIDS Day on December 1.

Several medical and educational experts attended the ceremony, including Wu Zunyou, chief epidemiologist at the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, to discuss how to eliminate the disease and educate the public about HIV discrimination.

The theme of the event, co-organized by Chinese LGBTQ community platform BlueCity and the Chinese Foundation for the Prevention of STDs, is "fighting against the coronavirus and HIV amid the on-going COVID-19 epidemic." During the event, related activities such as lectures will be held in universities across China to promote correct information about AIDS.

BlueCity has pledged to donate 1 million yuan ($152,300) to further carry out HIV prevention and control education in the lead-up to World AIDS Day. 

The funds will be used to support HIV prevention work of prospective nonprofit organizations. The brand will also actively seek applications and provide grants for programs focusing on HIV prevention among young people, according to Ma Baoli, founder, chairman and chief executive officer of BlueCity.

"The year 2020 is an exceptional year that requires us to give each other more support. As such, we launched the initiative to partner with and support like-minded people and organizations in delivering HIV prevention education and awareness-building that is comprehensive, scientific and efficient," said Ma.

"We will also bring our services to more overseas users and work together with international and regional partners as the world is working together to end the AIDS epidemic by 2030," said Ma, referring to the UNAIDS framework.

A 2019 report from China's National Center for AIDS/STD Control and Prevention reported 16,000 newly discovered cases of HIV/AIDS in 2018 among young people aged 15-24. Among them, more than 3,000 cases were young students.