New Zealanders will join with thousands around the world today, to remember those who have been lost to AIDS. Services are scheduled right around the country from Invercargill to Auckland, during which candles will be lit to remember victims of the pandemic. Since the pandemic struck in the early 1980s, an estimated 28 million people globally have now died of AIDS, with a further 42 million now living with the virus. 2004 saw a 17% increase in those diagnosed with HIV in New Zealand. There were 183 new cases of HIV, including 89 for men who have sex with men, 35 heterosexually infected men, and 38 heterosexually infected women. Candlelight Memorial services will be held today in 4500 communities across 93 different countries. This year's theme is Lighting a Path Toward a Brighter Future. The New Zealand AIDS Foundation have stressed the importance in renewing our commitment toward HIV prevention strategies, while remembering those who have died.