Pride House Executive Board member Neil Basterfield led tributes to those killed by HIV/AIDS ©Nick Hynan

On a day of reflection for those lost to HIV and AIDS, Pride House called for stigma over the autoimmune diseases to end as it hopes to educate other nations set to compete at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.

"Birmingham Remembers Their Names" - the UK AIDS Memorial Quilt Exhibition, was held in the host city, unveiling a series of patches from friends, partners and family members to those killed by the disease.

Executive Board member Neil Basterfield noted that HIV and AIDS - diseases long linked with the LGBTQI+ community - remain issues across the Commonwealth for all people regardless of sexuality.

"HIV and AIDS is still stigmatised in many Commonwealth countries," said Basterfield to insidethegames.

"When you think about the continent of Africa where HIV is still hugely problematic, what we're doing here is not only paying tribute to people in the United Kingdom who lost their lives through HIV and AIDS over the last four decades but also shining a light and hopefully trying to educate people about ending the stigma across the world and specifically in the Commonwealth.

"I think there's been change since the 1980s and 1990s when the pandemic began, but still today 75 per cent of people say they would not date someone with HIV when in fact people on treatment are undetectable and cannot pass the virus on.

"This quilt doesn't get out very often, it's a lot of space to show it so to be able to bring this to the Games, to give people who come to watch the sport something else to think about, it's an honour and a pleasure."

One of the quilts at the memorial event ©Nick Hynan
One of the quilts at the memorial event ©Nick Hynan

South Africa has the highest number of people living with HIV in the world with 7.5 million, while Eswatini has the highest rate of HIV/AIDS in the world with approximately 27.1 per cent of the population infected.

The top 10 rates of HIV/AIDS in the world all come from Africa, with eight of them currently competing in the Commonwealth Games.

A memorial dedicated to those lost to the AIDS epidemic in the United Kingdom is to be placed in the Hippodrome Square.

This campaign is said to have reached £200,000 ($240,000/€236,000), requiring another £30,000 ($36,000/€35,400) before the project is complete for World AIDS Day on December 1.

Workshops are to take place during the Games to allow people to help build the memorial, while chances to see the quilt can be booked via Pride House's website.