SCIENCE AND EDUCATION
World Diabetes Day
Baku, November 14 (AZERTAC) World Diabetes Day, on the 14th November every year, has grown from humble beginnings to become a globally-celebrated event to increase awareness about diabetes.
Comprising hundreds of campaigns, activities, screenings, lecture, meetings and more, World Diabetes Day is proving internationally effective in spreading the message about diabetes.
Each year, World Diabetes Day, which is co-ordinated by the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), carries a particular theme and between 2009 and 2013 the theme has been `education and prevention`.
The campaign slogan for 2012 is `Diabetes: protect our future` and focuses on supporting children with type 1 diabetes and preventing our current generation of children from developing type 2 diabetes.
This year World Diabetes Day coincides with the beginning of Diwali and as a result the IDF has chosen India as a focus for 2012`s celebrations and has re-named Diwali in 2012 as Blue Diwali.
World Diabetes Day was jointly introduced by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the International Diabetes Federation (IDF). The global diabetes awareness campaign was introduced amidst concern over an escalating diabetes epidemic.
November 14th is a significant date in the diabetes calendar because it marks the birthday of the man who co-discovered insulin, Frederick Banting.
Banting discovered insulin in 1922, alongside Charles Best.
World Diabetes Day is internationally recognised and is now an official United Nations Day.
The logo of World Diabetes Day is a blue circle, and this is recognised by hundreds of thousands of people with diabetes throughout the world. World Diabetes Day (whereas Diabetes Week is solely a UK-wide event) is a truly international event, and having a distinctive logo is an essential part of spreading the message about diabetes to as wide audience as possible.