The World Bank with United Nations and private sector partners today launched a competitive Development Marketplace aimed at identifying and funding innovative approaches to reduce stigma and discrimination associated with HIV and AIDS in the South Asia region, including Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Pakistan.

Today, the world marks the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights with a focus on “universality”.

Today, on World AIDS Day, we are called upon to be leaders in the fight against AIDS. Where there is strong and committed leadership, the response is more effective.

On the eve of World AIDS Day recognizing the theme of leadership, Parliamentarians from around the world have adopted bold recommendations to guide their response to HIV at the national level.

On the occasion of World AIDS Day the global call for nominations for the Red Ribbon Award 2008 will be announced in Mexico City. The biennial award, which will be presented at next summer’s International AIDS Conference in Mexico, will honour 25 community-based organisations for their contributions in responding to the AIDS epidemic.

Today, on the 20th World AIDS Day, we are again beseeching leadership to ‘Stop AIDS and keep the promise.’ We asked them to do so last year, and we are asking them to do so again. Although much has been done since the last World AIDS Day, AIDS clearly has not stopped. Stopping AIDS is the ultimate measure of progress in the AIDS response, but we must remember that it is not the only one.

Speaking at the Saddleback Church Global AIDS Summit, UNAIDS Executive Director Dr. Peter Piot paid tribute to the contribution religious leaders have made to the global AIDS response, and the key role religious groups have played in providing HIV treatment, care and support in some of the remotest parts of the world.

Today is a fitting time to acknowledge and celebrate the leadership of thousands of women and girls all over the world who, on a daily basis, take on the challenges of the AIDS epidemic with courage and conviction.

The World AIDS Campaign has selected “leadership” as the 2007 World AIDS Day theme highlighting the need for innovative and visionary leadership in response to the epidemic. It calls on all of us to renew our commitment at the individual, family, community, national and international level to support empowering leadership on AIDS.

The theme of this World AIDS Day is leadership. Without it, we will never get ahead of the epidemic.