On the eve of World AIDS day, the Union Human Resource Development Minister for India, Mr Arjun Singh laid the foundation stone for India’s seventh and the north-eastern region's first Indian Institute of Management (IIM) in Shillong.

The institute is named as the Rajiv Gandhi Indian Institute of Management (RG-IIM).This is one among the various significant initiatives taken by the local and central governments to pave the way for the advancement of North Eastern India along the path of the India’s rapid progress in various sectors of growth and prosperity.

It is a very positive reflection of the state of mind of the youth in this region which was until very recently showing high rates of drug abuse and HIV infection. Various other states in India from all regions have introduced some very successful policies aimed at the prevention of the spread of HIV and AIDS in their respective states.

The union minister for health, Mr Ambumani RamDoss also announced in Delhi today that the second line drugs against HIV infection would be given for free in two cities, Mumbai and Chennai in India

The rest of the world is also treading the same path aimed at the total prevention of the AIDS pandemic. Thousands of people have gathered in Johannesburg ahead of former president Nelson Mandela's highly-anticipated 46664 AIDS benefit concert featuring popular international artists. Nearly 50,000 people were expected to attend the concert, the fifth of its kind launched under the campaign "46664" after Mandela's old prison number. The concert features 30 local and foreign artists at the city's Ellis Park stadium.

"We hold the future of this continent in our hands," Mandela has said of the 46664 principle that the world should unite to raise awareness about the pandemic, and take action to eradicate it.

South Africa has the world's worst HIV prevalence, according to recent United Nations statistics, with around 5.5 million people infected out of a population of 48 million. Marking the World AIDS day, this concert will be broadcast to millions of people in South Africa and around the world.

The U.S. Government theme for World AIDS Day this year is “The Power of Partnerships” in the fight against HIV/AIDS. The international theme for World AIDS Day this year is "Stop AIDS: Keep the Promise," and the United States is doing just that to highlight the successes and future promise of partnerships in the fight against HIV/AIDS. Working together through the power of partnerships, the American people and the people of the world can and will achieve much more.

Our nation pledged $15 billion over five years for HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment and care in many of the poorest nations on Earth...This investment has yielded the best possible return - saved lives." said The President, George W Bush during his speech on the World Aids Day.