On December 1st, more than 15,000 people packed New York’s Times Square for a surprise World AIDS Day event  ‘A (RED) Thank You Presented By (BANK OF AMERICA)RED’ held to thank Americans for their leadership in the fight against AIDS. To date, 13 million people are receiving life-saving AIDS medicine in the developing world thanks in large part to US leadership and funding.  The concert included performances by Kanye West and Carrie Underwood, as well as by Adam Clayton, The Edge and Larry Mullen Jr. of U2, joined by Bruce Springsteen and Coldplay’s Chris Martin. 

Springsteen and Martin each took a turn as frontman for U2 at the invitation of the band, as Bono remains under doctors’ orders to refrain from performing until fully recuperated from his injuries. All of the artists performing graciously donated their time and talents to save the World AIDS Day event from cancellation, following Bono’s bike accident. Additional guests in attendance included America Ferrera, Sophia Bush, Christy Turlington Burns and more….

AIDS has killed nearly 39 million people since it was first discovered, but new statistics show we are finally at the “tipping point” of the disease, with more people getting access to life-saving treatment than are newly contracting the disease. This progress has been called “the beginning of the end of AIDS” and it is critical that we continue the momentum so we can finally end the AIDS pandemic.

A (RED) Thank You Presented By (BANK OF AMERICA) RED was broadcast live on YouTube, and radio across the US including iHeart Radio which became iHeart (RED) for World AIDS Day. The event was also broadcast as part of ESPN’s Monday Night Countdown.   

The Times Square moment was only ONE of many that occurred to help support and raise money towards (RED)’s efforts. Please find additional details attached surrounding the (RED) initiatives for World AIDS Day.

Images courtesy of gettyimages