Flashmob in support of people with HIV organized in Moldovan capital

In the capital, a flashmob titled "In Their Shoes" will be organized on 18 May in the context of World AIDS Day.

According to "Nicolae Testemițanu" State University of Medicine and Pharmacy, the event emphasizes that through testing and treatment, a person with HIV can live like everyone else, and when we step into someone else's shoes, we are not indifferent but unite efforts to find a solution.

The event will begin at 10:30 AM with a symbolic march in the center of Valea Trandafirilor Park in the capital.

Participants – students, resident doctors, teachers and others interested – will walk a distance of 838 meters, each meter being a gesture of solidarity and support for the courage of the 838 people who chose treatment and life in 2024, and a message that no one is left behind. The young participants will form a circle around the lake, and upon reaching the final point of the route, they will outline the sole of their footwear on the asphalt with colored chalk and write a message of encouragement, empathy, hope and support.

The activity is organized by the Association of Medical Students and Residents and "Nicolae Testemițanu" State University of Medicine and Pharmacy from the Republic of Moldova, with support of UNAIDS Moldova/Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS, in partnership with the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Moldova, "Toma Ciorbă" Infectious Diseases Clinical Hospital and the National Public Health Agency.

The event takes place within the joint program Strengthening Human Rights on both Banks of the Dniester implemented by the UN with financial support from the Embassy of Sweden in the Republic of Moldova.

It is estimated that currently, there are 16,860 diagnosed people with HIV in the Republic of Moldova, and around 880 new cases were registered in 2024. Thanks to improved access to services, the number of AIDS-related deaths has significantly decreased – from 338 in 2020 to 241 in 2024. However, fear and stigma remain major barriers preventing many from getting tested or following treatment.