By Cherri Gregg

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – The University of Pennsylvania Center for AIDS Research is holding its ninth annual Red Ribbon Awards today. The event honors leaders who have contributed to the fight against the terrible disease.

“The Red Ribbon Awards was something that was created to really honor Philadelphia heroes,” says Tiffany Dominique, a member of the Community Advisory Board at the Penn Center for AIDS Research.

She says the City Hall ceremony will honor five individuals in HIV and AIDS research just in time for World AIDS Day on December 1st.

“We have a researcher category, a community member category, a policy maker category.”

Dominique says the purpose of the awards is to encourage advocates to keep up the fight against AIDS.

“Zero new infections, zero discrimination, zero AIDS related deaths. We know that that sounds like pie in the sky dreams, but we know that its possible.”

The ceremony kicks off at 5 pm in Conversation Hall.