On Saturday 12 December, the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS, in collaboration with youth organisations and civil society partners, will host in Cairo a first-of-its-kind graffiti exhibition aimed at raising awareness about the disease and reducing stigma.

The event, which is open for the public and targets the younger generations specifically, will start at noon at the Gezira Youth Centre in Zamalek district.

Following the revolution of 25 January in 2011, graffiti art gained popularity among many of the youth in Egypt, who used it as a powerful form of self expression.

Artists exhibiting their work at the event will include Aya Tarek, Amr Diwan, Seliem El-Leithy and Chanel Arif.

An introductory word will be given by Dr Ahmed Khamis, the UNAIDS country office manager. Questions and answers will be held at the end of the event.

Each year, Egypt commemorates World AIDS Day on 1 December through a nationwide advocacy campaign aimed at spreading awareness about HIV and combating false notions.

This event comes as part of the World AIDS Campaign, which has been successful in previous years in mobilising different parties to combat the negative stigma that still prevails around the disease, and raise awareness in the society.

According to UNAIDS Egypt, the latest statistics issued by the end of 2014 indicate that registered people living with HIV inside Egypt is almost 8,800.