- Global Landmarks Mark First United Nations World Diabetes Day
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
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