Mayor Kasim Reed plans to commemorate World AIDS Day on Wednesday with a candlelight vigil on the steps of City Hall and by turning some downtown buildings red.

The high-profile event, set for Wednesday at 5 p.m., is one of several planned across metro Atlanta for World AIDS Day. Reed will be joined by officials with AID Atlanta and the Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control & Prevention.

Also Wednesday, City Hall and several other buildings in downtown Atlanta – including the World of Coca-Cola, Georgia World Congress Center, the Georgia Dome and Centennial Olympic Park – will be turned red as part of the commemoration, according to the mayor’s office.

Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed holds candlelight vigil to observe World AIDS Day and raise awareness of the AIDS pandemic at 5pm on December 1, 2010. The press conference will take place on the steps of City Hall with many of the City’s civic and community partners.

Mayor Kasim Reed is partnering with (RED)™to show his support in the fight to help eliminate AIDS by turning Atlanta City Hall and other buildings around the city (RED)™ on December 1.

Detection is the first step to prevention, and Mayor Reed and the City of Atlanta, along with all of its partners are committed to increasing HIV and AIDS awareness to the community.

In June, Reed hosted HIV caregivers and AIDS activists at City Hall to promote National HIV Testing Day. He also took part by undergoing a rapid oral HIV test.