Salt Lake City will observe World AIDS Day on Tuesday by lighting City Hall in red.

The public is invited to join Mayor Ralph Becker, the Salt Lake City Council, the Utah AIDS Foundation and People with AIDS Coalition of Utah for a special ceremony and a bell-ringing tribute to those who have lost their lives to HIV/AIDS.

The event begins at 6 p.m. at Salt Lake City Hall, 451 S. State St.

"World AIDS Day provides an opportunity to increase awareness about AIDS here and around the globe," Becker said in a statement. "With HIV infection rates increasing here in our own city, it's important for us to talk about how to prevent HIV infection."

In Utah, more than 3,200 children and adults live with HIV/AIDS. Nationally, more than 1 million people have it.

Rosemary Winters