This year, the first World AIDS Day Festival took place in Ireland, running from November 27 to December 1, 2025. Presented by the Poz Vibe Tribe in collaboration with GCN, the festival raised awareness about the global fight against HIV and AIDS, while also celebrating the strength, resilience and diversity of people living with HIV in Ireland and beyond.

At a time when funding cuts in several countries are causing what the UN has described as the “most serious setback in decades” in global HIV prevention efforts, it is more important than ever to remember and remind people of the ongoing battle against HIV and AIDS. According to current projections, the funding cuts could result in 3.3 million new HIV infections over the next five years worldwide.

The World AIDS Day Festival aimed to shine a light on such challenges, while celebrating the resilience and commitment of people living with HIV. The community in Ireland came together for a series of events centring people living with HIV, blending remembrance, bold celebration and vital HIV awareness.

The festival kicked off with a remembrance event hosted by the Quilts Group at Saint Andrews Centre. Titled Friends Remembering Friends, this event provided a poignant space to honour the lives of friends, family, and community members we have lost. It coincided with a special episode of the Poz Vibe Podcast featuring Catherine, Phyllis and Terri – the amazing women behind the Quilts Group.

On the same day, Poz Vibe Tribe launched a t-shirt in collaboration with queer-owned apparel shop The Grá and Irish drag artist Lavender. The new t-shirt centred the messaging U=U, standing for ‘Undetectable equals Untransmittable’, a global campaign that raises awareness about how someone who is on effective HIV treatment has an undetectable viral load and therefore cannot transmit the virus to a sexual partner.

The following day, the Poz Vibe Tribe moved to beloved nail salon Tropical Popical for an HIV Awareness Hub geared towards women. Following the pop-up, the Strike a Poz event brought the community to one of Dublin’s most iconic queer venues, The George, for a special live photoshoot. Photographer extraordinaire Babs Daly captured moments of confidence and celebration during the evening. The event was hosted by a special HIVIP, Irish drag queen Regina George, and the amazing DJ Karen provided the musical background to the photoshoot.

The wonderful duo behind P.Shirts, Ciaran and Luis, hosted a second HIV Awareness Hub and a special market on Saturday, November 29. Taking over the Queer Hawk location in Liffey Street, the event aimed to fight stigma and uplift the community of people living with HIV in Ireland.

On the same day, Queen of Ireland Panti Bliss hosted the special 99 Red Balloons event in Pennylane, a one-of-a-kind night to dive deep into the queer pop of the 80s and 90s. With legendary DJ Dizzy, the night provided an opportunity for the community to dance together to the iconic music of those years.

The festival also moved to Lost Lane, where Mother hosted a spectacular celebration of all the Poz People in our community, with a very special guest. RuPaul’s Drag Race UK star and HIVIP Charity Kase was on the decks, having revellers dance HIV stigma away all night long.

On Sunday, the beloved Sunday night Bingo at The George, hosted by the incredible Shirley Temple Bar with mother of Poz Vibe Tribe, Veda, featured another special HIVIP guest: Belfast drag queen Tailor Maid Colby.

Finally, to mark World AIDS Day on December 1, Poz Vibe Tribe and GCN, in partnership with Trinity’s LGBT+ Staff Network, presented one of the cornerstones of the festival, an event dedicated to spotlighting the experiences of immigrants living with HIV in Ireland. Participants were treated to the premiere of Out of Shadows, a poignant short film by filmmaker Pradeep Mahadeshwar. The screening was followed by a panel discussion with Poz Vibe podcast hosts Veda and Robbie Lawlors and the three actors in the film, Luis Noguera Benitez, Jordi Moya Roset, and Prateek Bhardwaj. To mark the occasion, Trinity College also lit the front of its historic buildings red in a powerful display of solidarity and support.

After the film screening, participants headed to Street 66 for the afterparty and final event of the festival. In the iconic Dublin venue, movie goers were treated to special themed cocktails on arrival and music by talented DJ Manwelli.

The World AIDS Day festival was made possible by our kind sponsors Man2Man and the Boiler House. A big thank you also goes to our supporters: Gay Health Network, Dublin Pride, Mother, Outhouse, Pantibar, Pennylane, P.Shirts, Queer Hawk, Queer Spectrum Film Festival, Saint Andrew’s, Street 66, The George, Trinity College and Tropical Popical.