World Diabetes Day 2008
On the evening of November 14, the diaTribe staff and some close Bay Area friends gathered to watch San Francisco City Hall be lit blue in recognition of the 2nd UN-sponsored World Diabetes Day (WDD) celebrations. We’re so glad that this event has become a reality, and we’re stunned by the overwhelming interest worldwide. On the first UN-sponsored WDD last year, 279 monuments were lit—this year, the goal was to get 500 (a lofty goal to be sure). However, this year’s WDD was even more successful than anyone could have predicted. In the final count, over 1,100 monuments and other sites were lit around the world!
We know that people with diabetes can face huge burdens, but we’re heartened to see people organizing together with their friends and families to support themselves, coming up with innovative ways to tackle the challenges of the disease. In our view, the best diabetes care doesn’t just come from doctors, organizations, and drugs (although they do help a lot!) but from diabetes awareness, education, and activism at the ground level. That’s the great thing about World Diabetes Day — while many world-famous monuments were lit blue on the 14th, they were joined by countless smaller buildings and gatherings of people determined to make a difference. In the spirit of recognizing the efforts of everyone involved with this year’s celebrations, we bring you some of our favorite pictures from the event. You may not recognize all of these places but you will certainly recognize the commitment to increasing diabetes awareness worldwide.
We encourage everyone to become involved with World Diabetes Day if you aren’t already--if you’re interested in planning an event, spearheading the lighting of a monument near you, or just learning more, visit www.worlddiabetesday.org.
WDD 2008 - a Photo Montage
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| CN Tower - Canada | Inverness Cathedral - UK |
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| Minar-e-Pakistan - Pakistan | Bosingak - Korea |
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| Sphinx and Pyramids - Egypt | State Puppet Theater - Estonia |
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| Diabetes Day Parade - Puerto Rico | Diabetes March - India |
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| Table of Silence - Romania | Chateau de Ducs de Bourbon - France |
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| Coliseum - Italy | Freedom Statue - Hungary |
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| Petronas Towers - Malaysia | Gateshead Millennium Bridge - UK |
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| diaTribe and friends in front of the San Francisco City Hall on WDD 2008 | Unite for Diabetes - Switzerland |
