World Diabetes Day Lights Up the Skyline

World Diabetes Day Lights Up the Skyline

November 12, 2007

- Global Landmarks Mark First United Nations World Diabetes
Day

    BRUSSELS, Belgium, Nov. 12 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- 

    On November 14th over 150 landmarks will light up in
blue to mark the first United Nations-observed World
Diabetes Day. Included among them are many of the world's
most iconic buildings and sites. The landmarks will light
up the skyline in the blue colour of the diabetes circle,
the global symbol for diabetes.

    The Empire State Building, one of New York's most
famous landmarks, was the first building to join the World
Diabetes Day campaign and agree to light up in blue. Since
then the campaign has been joined by some of the world's
most famous landmarks, including the Sydney Opera House,
the London Eye, Leaning Tower of Pisa, Tokyo Tower, Niagara
Falls, the Burj Al Arab in Dubai, the Aleppo Citadel in
Syria, the Obelisk in Buenos Aires, the Sears Tower in
Chicago, Christ the Redeemer in Brazil, and the building
currently considered the world's tallest: the Taipei 101
Tower in Taiwan.

    http://www.worlddiabetesday.org/bluemonuments

    Professor Martin Silink, President of the International
Diabetes Federation (IDF), the organization that leads the
World Diabetes Day campaign explained the significance of
the lightings: "These buildings are lighting up as
beacons of hope for the 246 million people living with
diabetes worldwide. The illumination of so many landmarks
is a prominent statement to governments everywhere: the
global diabetes epidemic can no longer be ignored."

    The UN-recognition of World Diabetes Day follows the
passage of Resolution 61/225 in December 2006. The
resolution was the first milestone of an ambitious campaign
led by IDF to raise awareness of diabetes and its serious
complications. The World Diabetes Day Resolution recognizes
diabetes as a chronic, debilitating and costly disease that
poses severe risks for families, countries and the entire
world. The UN has thrown its support behind World Diabetes
Day and encourages countries to act now to reverse the
diabetes epidemic.

    Today, 246 million people live with diabetes globally.
If nothing is done, this figure will reach 380 million
within 20 years. The World Diabetes Day Resolution urges
governments to implement national policies for the
prevention, care and treatment of diabetes in line with the
sustainable development of their healthcare systems. This is
the first time that a non-communicable disease has been
recognized as posing as serious a global health threat as
infectious epidemics like malaria, tuberculosis and
HIV/AIDS.

    To mark the importance of World Diabetes Day,
individuals are encouraged to wear the diabetes pin, which
incorporates the blue circle -- the global symbol for
diabetes. Further details of the campaign and how people
can show their support can be found at
http://www.worlddiabetesday.org.

    Broadcast videos are available at:
http://www.thenewsmarket.com/wdd

    Note to Editors

    The International Diabetes Federation (IDF) is an
umbrella organization of over 200 member associations in
more than 160 countries, representing almost 250 million
people with diabetes, their families, and their healthcare
providers. The mission of the IDF is to promote diabetes
care, prevention and a cure worldwide. Its main activities
include education for people with diabetes and healthcare
professionals, public awareness campaigns and the promotion
and exchange of information. IDF is a non-governmental
organization in official relations with WHO and associated
to the United Nations' Department of Public Information.
For more information, please visit http://www.idf.org.

    Introduced by IDF and the World Health Organization in
1991, World Diabetes Day has been celebrated by diabetes
representative organizations worldwide ever since. The date
of 14 November was chosen because it marks the birthday of
Frederick Banting, who, along with Charles Best, is
credited with the discovery of insulin. UN Resolution
61/225 establishes November 14 as a United Nations observed
day from 2007. Visit http://www.worlddiabetesday.org for
further information about the campaign and for a full list
of landmarks that will light up.


    For more information, please contact:

     Kerrita McClaughlyn
     Media Relations Coordinator
     International Diabetes Federation
     Tel:    [phone]
     Mobile: [phone]
     Email:  [e-mail]

     Phil Riley
     Communications Manager
     International Diabetes Federation
     Mobile: [phone]
     Email:  [e-mail]