World Diabetes Day 2023
On the 14th of November is the annual World Diabetes Day. The 2021 – 2023 theme is “Access to Diabetes Care“. Millions of people with diabetes around the world do not have access to diabetes care. People with diabetes require ongoing care and support to manage their condition and avoid complications.
We cannot wait any longer for:
- Medicine, technologies, support and care to be made available to all people with diabetes that require them.
- Governments to increase investment in diabetes care and prevention.
World Diabetes Day
14th November 2023
Why is there a World Diabetes Day?
In 1991 the IDF and the World Health Organization created the World Diabetes Day (WDD) in response to growing concerns about the escalating health threat posed by diabetes. It also became in 2006 an official United Nations Day with the passage of United Nations Resolution 61/225.
WDD is the world’s largest diabetes awareness campaign reaching a global audience of over 1 billion people in more than 160 countries. The campaign draws attention to issues of paramount importance to the diabetes world and keeps diabetes firmly in the public and political spotlight.
The World Diabetes Day campaign aims to be the:
- Platform to promote IDF advocacy efforts throughout the year.
- Global driver to promote the importance of taking coordinated and concerted actions to confront diabetes as a critical global health issue
The campaign is represented by a blue circle logo that was adopted in 2007 after the passage of the UN Resolution on diabetes. The blue circle is the global symbol for diabetes awareness. It signifies the unity of the global diabetes community in response to the diabetes epidemic.
2021 – 2023 World Diabetes Day theme:
‘Access to Diabetes Care’
Why is World Diabetes Day on November 14?
While the whole campaign lasts a year, World Diabetes Day on November 14 marks the birthday of Sir Frederick Banting. In 1922, he co-discovered the life-saving insulin with his assistant Charles Best.
See our infographic on the World Diabetes Day:
What is the International Diabetes Federation?
The International Diabetes Federation (IDF) is an umbrella organization of over 240 national diabetes associations in 168 countries and territories. It represents the interests of the growing number of people with diabetes and those at risk. The Federation has been leading the global diabetes community since 1950. IDF’s mission is to promote diabetes care, prevention and a cure worldwide. IDF is engaged in action to tackle diabetes from the local to the global level ― from programmes at community level to worldwide awareness and advocacy initiatives.
The International Diabetes Federation is divided into seven regions, with the aim of strengthening the work of national diabetes associations and enhancing the collaboration between them.
The Federation’s activities aim to influence policy, increase public awareness and encourage health improvement, promote the exchange of high-quality information about diabetes, and provide education for people with diabetes and their healthcare providers. IDF is associated with the Department of Public Information of the United Nations and is in official relations with the World Health Organization (WHO).
See our video about orally consumable insulin films here:
What is the “Blue Monument Challenge”?
Since 2007, many famous buildings around the world (like the Eiffel Tower or the Empire State Building) have been illuminated in blue in the evening and at night as “beacons of hope” as part of World Diabetes Day on November 14.
Did you know…?
…that over 463 million adults worldwide were living with diabetes in 2019?
…that 1 in 2 adults with diabetes remain undiagnosed? (232 million)
…that diabetes caused worldwide 4.2 million deaths in 2019?