Events on World Diabetes Day

November 14th annually is World Diabetes Day. It is marked on the birthday of Canadian doctor Frederick Banting (1891-1941), who discovered insulin. The day was originally established as a commemorative day by the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) and the World Health Organization (WHO) in 1991, but on December 20, 2006, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution recognizing the global threat of diabetes, and World Diabetes Day is now also recognized as a United Nations commemorative day.

The aim is to raise awareness of the global threat of diabetes, which claims one life every six seconds. The symbol is the "Blue Circle", the blue representing the United Nations and the endless sky, and a "ring" representing unity. In Japan, there are a surprising number of medical related institutes that mark this day with blue light up. You will find several hospitals and pharmacies around the country are lit up blue on at least the night of November 14th. Others have light up for about a week around the date.

In my own prefecture (Saitama), there are dozens of events on around this day annually. For example, the Furutone Park bridge in Kasukabe is lit up annually. This year, 2025, the light up is from November 9th until November 15th. But it is not just light up events. For example, in Kawagoe 15 stores in the Kawagoeshi station to Renkeiji temple area are participating in a stamp rally quiz since November 1st until the 15th. Moreover, on the 15th there is a larger event on in Koedo Kurari. These are just a few examples. Does your prefecture do anything special to mark World Diabetes Day?