Berlin-Based dotHIV Raises Awareness and Funds for HIV

Introducing a whole new way to fight HIV is the new initiative dotHIV, which combines digital innovation and the concept and spirit of the Red Ribbon. The Berlin-based organization will provide web addresses with the ending .hiv to companies and non-profits in an effort to raise awareness and funds for projects around the world working to prevent the transmission of HIV and end AIDS.

"Imagine simply using .HIV as you use .COM. Each time you visit website.HIV, buy a ticket on movies.HIV, or shop at store.HIV, a small donation would reach HIV and AIDS projects," said Carolin Silbernagl, co-founder of dotHIV and CEO of the TLD dotHIV Registry.

The unique, inbuilt micro-donation capability is the main innovation of .hiv domain names. Every time a user clicks on a .hiv website, dotHIV donates 0.1� and thus releases funds to help support HIV projects across the globe. These micro-donations do not come at further expense to the user or the website owner.

For brands, the easiest way to use a .hiv domain name is to simply redirect visitors from website.hiv to their standard .com homepage. No need to run an extra website, the content remains the same, only now it has a social benefit. This "Digital Red Ribbon" not only helps generate web traffic but shows social responsibility as well as commitment to digital innovation. And it involves the website visitors: Every click on a .hiv domain is doing good.

"We will stand with other TLDs like .com and .org. It will now be possible to click on .hiv addresses like amazon.hiv, gmhc.hiv and sport.hiv and make a difference in the fight against AIDS," said Carolin Silbernagl, co-founder and CEO of the dotHIV Registry. "A .hiv address is available for a starting price of $17 a month. This is not simply the right thing to do, it is a good investment as the money flows to projects that provide access to HIV medicaments. .hiv addresses save lives."

dotHIV supports innovative projects that commit themselves to better access to life saving treatment and to projects that use new digital technologies for their work with HIV and AIDS. Our focus is on small, community-based organizations. Local initiatives know best what the needs of their populations are but often lack the resources to do what they need to as effectively as possible. Their initial projects are organizations in Rwanda, United States, Turkey and South Africa.

"Worldwide, approximately 35 million people are living with HIV. Worldwide, 2.5 billion people use the Internet -- .hiv unites them all. "Companies and organizations over the world can use .hiv as their 'Digital Red Ribbon,' as a symbol of solidarity and one that contributes to organizations helping people living with HIV," said Ina von Rosenstiel, Managing Director of the dotHIV charitable association.

In the future, HIV and AIDS organizations worldwide can apply for funds from dotHIV on a regular basis, which will then be voted for by the Internet community at click4life.hiv.

On August 26, .hiv domain names became available to website owners around the world and subsequently the first .hiv webpages went online. Alicia Keys HIV charity "Keep a Child Alive" made the start with a .hiv address, the online retailer plus.de will launch plus.hiv, and ad agency thjnk with thjnk.hiv. Many other large brands such as Amazon, Instagram, tumblr, LinkedIn, Samsung and BMW have already registered their .hiv domain.

A .hiv address is a good example of how to show support on World AIDS Day on December 1. Non-governmental organizations and non-profits in the field of HIV and AIDS will receive their .hiv address for free.