Good day everyone, 

Today, we gather to commemorate World AIDS Day 2025. This year, Bermuda proudly joins the global community under the theme: “Overcoming disruption, transforming the AIDS response.” 

This theme reminds us of the serious setbacks the world has faced in the fight against HIV, setbacks driven by reduced funding and a lack of global solidarity.  

Yet it also calls us to action. We know that resilience, investment, and innovation are essential if we are to sustain progress. And let me be clear: Bermuda is firmly committed to ensuring that every person has access to prevention, treatment, and care, free from stigma, and free from discrimination. 

Ending AIDS is not just a global ambition; it is an achievable goal. By working together and building on our achievements, Bermuda can continue to lead by example.  Bermuda has made remarkable progress, including the elimination of mother-to-child transmission of HIV. This success demonstrates what is possible when health equity and human rights are prioritised. 

However, challenges persist. 

To achieve our goal of ending HIV/AIDS locally, we must continue to reach all populations: LGBTQ+ individuals, young people and adolescents, pregnant women through antenatal screenings, and those at risk due to social or economic factors. No one in Bermuda should be left behind. 

Our communities play a critical role in this effort. Community responsibility is essential to addressing stigma and discrimination, which remain barriers to care. Through education, awareness campaigns, and active involvement, we can dismantle these barriers and create an environment where everyone feels supported. 

Let us build on Bermuda’s achievements and continue to innovate, ensuring that our response remains strong and inclusive. Together, we can contribute to the global mission of ending AIDS as a public health challenge by 2030.

Thank you.