Going Blue for World Diabetes Day 2011

In 2010, over 900 monuments and buildings in 84 countries lit in blue on 14 November to raise awareness of diabetes and World Diabetes Day. WHO estimates that more than 346 million people worldwide have diabetes. This number is likely to more than double by 2030 without intervention. Almost 80% of diabetes deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries.

For 2011, the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) is continuing to encourage everyone to use the blue lightings as the centre for all World Diabetes Day-related grass-roots activities and events, reinforcing the link between the colour blue and diabetes, and strengthening recognition of the Blue Circle as the global symbol of diabetes.

With 378 confirmed lightings planned for WDD2011, there may still be time for you to add yours to the map:

• Find out how to go about lighting a building in blue.
• If you manage to secure a lighting, share it with IDF at  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it "> This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
• 2010 WDD Monument Challenge Flickr album.

Or, take part in raising diabetes awareness in your town or city by participating in the WDD Flash Mob Challenge!

You can help IDF by getting your friends, families and colleagues together on 13 or 14 November and organising a special World Diabetes Day performance in a local square, commercial centre or other public place in your area. You could do a dance, do a physical activity (eg. jumping, exercising), form a blue circle, or just shout out awareness messages to alert the public on the urgent need to:

ACT ON DIABETES. NOW.

You are invited to:

• Use the blue circle as the theme of your performance
• Dress in blue
• Use the key messages of the World Diabetes Day 2011 campaign

Whatever activity or event you do, make sure you upload it to the WDD events on the website and have someone on hand to film the occasion and share the video.

More on World Diabetes Day:

Started by the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) and WHO, World Diabetes Day is celebrated on 14 November each year to mark the birthday of Frederick Banting who, along with Charles Best, was instrumental in the discovery of insulin in 1922, a life-saving treatment for diabetes patients.

The World Diabetes Day 2011 campaign marks the third year of the International Diabetes Federation's five-year focus on "Diabetes education and prevention," the theme chosen for the period 2009-2013.

The slogan chosen for this year's campaign is: Act on Diabetes. Now.

Five key messages have been developed to inform the outputs and deliverables of the 2011 campaign:

• Diabetes kills: 1 person every 8 seconds, 4 million people a year.
• Diabetes does not discriminate: all ages, rich and poor, all countries.
• Diabetes can no longer be ignored: 4 million lives lost a year, 1 million amputations a year, millions lost in income and productivity.
• Life-saving care, a right not a privilege: education, medicines, technologies.
• Choose Health: demand healthy food and environments, keep active, eat well. You can make a difference.

The World Diabetes Day logo is the blue circle - the global symbol for diabetes which was developed as part of the Unite for Diabetes awareness campaign.
It is available for download in over 50 languages.

Additional links:

• World Health Organization (WHO)
• International Diabetes Federation (IDF)
• http://www.worlddiabetesday.org
• http://www.idf.org/worlddiabetesday
• http://www.who.int/mediacentre/events/annual/world_diabetes_day/en/index.html

Edited: G. Cornwell & S. Robin