Led by the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) and its Member Associations World Diabetes Day (WDD) is celebrated every year on November 14.

The WDD campaign underscores IDF as the authoritative and effective global advocate for people with diabetes and those at risk by raising awareness of the actions required to prevent or delay the onset of type 2 diabetes and advocating for commitments in the UN Political Declaration on NCDs to be maximised. Join our efforts to make a difference for 382 million people with diabetes!

The date of WDD is significant because it marks the birthday of Sir Frederick Banting, who along with Charles Best discovered insulin in 1921.

Each year, IDF leads a global campaign involving more than 230 Member Associations in more than 170 countries and territories. It engages millions of people in diabetes advocacy and awareness.
The World Diabetes Day 2014 campaign marks the first of IDF’s three-year focus on healthy living and diabetes.

The latest estimates from the IDF Diabetes Atlas indicate that there are 382 million people living with diabetes worldwide. By 2035, 592 million people or one person in ten will have the disease. A further 316 million people are currently at high risk of developing type 2 diabetes, with the number expected to increase to almost 500 million within a generation.

What makes the pandemic particularly menacing is that throughout much of the world, it remains hidden. Up to half of all people with diabetes remain undiagnosed.

Most cases of type 2 diabetes can be prevented and the serious complications of diabetes can be avoided through healthy lifestyles and living environments that encourage and facilitate healthy behaviour.

The World Diabetes Day campaign aims to raise awareness of how the healthy choice can be the easy choice and the various steps that individuals can take to make informed decisions about what they eat. Special focus is placed on the importance of starting the day with a healthy breakfast.

As a Member of the IDF Parliamentarians for Diabetes Global Network (IDF-PDGN), we encourage you to promote World Diabetes Day in your country! 

The impact can be strengthened, by partnering with your local diabetes associations.

SUGGESTED ACTIVITIES FOR WORLD DIABETES DAY:

• Introduce a Private Members Motion or initiate a cross party debate in your Parliament in support of government funding into research and public health awareness campaigns to combat Diabetes
• Pin a personality with the blue circle.
• Promote the blue circle, the global symbol for diabetes, and/or integrate the colour blue into your WDD promotional materials, activities, and communications.
• Organise a public activity (e.g., walk, cycle ride, aerobic workout, flash mob)
• Organise a healthy breakfast in your area or in Parliament.
• Form a human blue circle, a simple activity with a great visual impact that can be organized as an individual activity or as part of a bigger event.
• Wear blue for diabetes awareness and ask your friends, family and colleagues to join you.
• Promote World Diabetes Day on your website, blog or forum.

The IDF-PDGN Executive warmly welcomes all the members of parliament who have registered to join the IDF-Parliamentarians for Diabetes Global Network. The network has grown to 114 members from 40 countries.

We welcome new members who have a commitment to diabetes prevention, treatment and care and look forward to hearing about the planned activities for World Diabetes Day.

For more information on World Diabetes Day please visit www.idf.org/worlddiabetesday.