World Diabetes Day is coming up! What are you going to do to make the world more aware of Diabetes?

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World Diabetes Day is an official United Nation’s World Health Day. It is celebrated every year on November 14. The date was chosen because it marks the birthday of Frederick Banting, who, along with Charles Best, is credited with the discovery of insulin in 1921. World Diabetes Day is represented by a blue circle logo. The blue circle is the global symbol of diabetes and signifies the unity of the global diabetes community in response to the diabetes pandemic.

World Diabetes Day was created by the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) and the World Health Organization (WHO) in 1991, in response to concern over the escalating incidence of diabetes around the world. The International Diabetes Federation leads the World Diabetes Day campaign – produces the annual and biannual themes, runs the global website, creates all the materials and drives the global outreach.

The theme for 2009-13 is Education and Prevention. Recent themes were Diabetes and Obesity (2004), Diabetes and Foot Care (2005), Diabetes in the Disadvantaged and the Vulnerable (2006) and Diabetes in Children and Adolescents(2007-2008).

Through its Unite for Diabetes campaign, IDF led the push for a UN Resolution on diabetes. On December 20, 2006, that goal was realized when the United Nations General Assembly unanimously passed Resolution 61/225, which designates the existing World Diabetes Day as a United Nations world day, to be observed every year beginning in 2007.

World Diabetes Day is a global event. It brings together millions of people in over 160 countries to raise awareness of diabetes, including children and adults affected by diabetes, healthcare professionals, healthcare decision-makers and the media. Numerous local and national events are organized by the member associations of the International Diabetes Federation and by other associations and organizations, healthcare professionals, healthcare authorities, and individuals with an interest in diabetes. World Diabetes Day unites the global diabetes community to produce a powerful voice for diabetes awareness.

Diabetes organizations and individuals worldwide establish a range of activities tailored to a variety of target audiences. Activities organized every year include such things as: lighting of global monuments, buildings and individual homes in blue on November 14, formation of blue circles around the world, global diabetes walks and rides, a WDD car in the Baja 1000 race, WDD motorcycle, press conferences, in-school activities, sports activities, frisbee events, free screenings for diabetes and its complications, workshops and exhibitions, and geocaching.