World Diabetes Day on November 14

November 14 will be the first United Nations-observed World Diabetes Day. The IDF (International Diabetes Federation) will lead the campaign along with the ADA (American Diabetes Association), the JDRF (Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation) and many other organizations in the USA. Diabetes, which affects nearly 246 million people globally including 21 million children and adults in the US, has now been recognized by the United Nations as a health risk to families and countries around the world.

Governments around the world have understood how it can affect economies and development. The UN has now understood that diabetes is as big a threat as HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. Mayors of New York, Chicago, Los Angeles and St. Louis have understood the importance of World Diabetes Day.

World Diabetes Day is the main awareness campaign on diabetes conducted by the IDF and WHO (World Health Organization). November 14 is also the birthday of Frederick Banting, who along with Charles Best discovered insulin in 1921. The Diabetes Day resolution was passed in December 2006.

On November 14 2007, millions of people across the world will join hands to increase awareness on diabetes. A human blue circle will be formed on the UN grounds - the blue circle being the symbol for diabetes. There will be a 246-step march from the UN down First Avenue in honor of diabetics across the world. A diabetes education rally will be conducted that will have musical performances and celebrities will also participate.

After dusk, 120 landmarks like the Empire State Building in New York, Sears Tower in Chicago, Prudential Tower in Boston, Los Angeles Airport (LAX) in Los Angeles, the Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument in Indianapolis, the Four Freedoms Monument in Evansville, San Francisco City Hall and Coit Tower in San Francisco, Qwest Stadium in Seattle and the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield will be lit in blue . These lights offer a ray of hope to diabetics worldwide and also tell people that the diabetic epidemic cannot be further ignored.