Time until :
0
Days0
Hours0
Minutes0
SecondsTable of Contents
What is World Diabetes Day?
World Diabetes Day is observed every November 14 — the birthday of insulin co-discoverer Frederick Banting — and is co-led by the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) and the World Health Organization (WHO). It is one of the few health observances formally recognised by the United Nations.
Why November 14?
The date commemorates the birthday of Sir Frederick Banting (born November 14, 1891). Banting and Charles Best discovered insulin at the University of Toronto in 1921 — the single most important breakthrough in the history of diabetes treatment. Before insulin, a type 1 diabetes diagnosis was effectively a death sentence.
The IDF and WHO launched the first World Diabetes Day on this date in 1991 in response to growing concern over the global diabetes burden. In December 2006, the United Nations General Assembly adopted Resolution 61/225, making World Diabetes Day an official UN observance from 2007 onwards.
Upcoming dates
World Diabetes Day falls on November 14 every year. The next five occurrences:
| Year | Date | Day of week |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | November 14, 2026 | Saturday |
| 2027 | November 14, 2027 | Sunday |
| 2028 | November 14, 2028 | Tuesday |
| 2029 | November 14, 2029 | Wednesday |
| 2030 | November 14, 2030 | Thursday |
A short history
- 1921 — Frederick Banting and Charles Best isolate insulin at the University of Toronto. Banting wins the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1923.
- 1991 — IDF and WHO launch the first World Diabetes Day on November 14 in response to rising global diabetes prevalence.
- 2006 — UN General Assembly adopts Resolution 61/225, making World Diabetes Day an official UN day from 2007.
- 2007 — The blue circle is adopted as the global symbol of diabetes awareness.
- 2021 — The 100th anniversary of the discovery of insulin is marked worldwide.
The diabetes burden, in numbers
From the IDF Diabetes Atlas (10th edition, 2021) and WHO Global Report on Diabetes:
- 537 million adults aged 20–79 living with diabetes in 2021.
- Projected to reach 643 million by 2030 and 783 million by 2045.
- Diabetes was responsible for 6.7 million deaths in 2021 — roughly one every five seconds.
- Type 2 accounts for around 90% of all diabetes cases worldwide.
- Roughly 1 in 2 adults living with diabetes is undiagnosed.
Annual theme and observance
Each World Diabetes Day campaign runs on a multi-year theme set by the IDF and WHO. The 2024–2026 theme is Diabetes and Well-Being. Past themes have included Access to Diabetes Care (2021–2023), Family and Diabetes (2018–2019) and The Nurse and Diabetes (2020).
Common observance activities:
- Lighting landmarks in blue (the colour of the diabetes blue-circle symbol).
- Free blood-glucose screening events run by hospitals and pharmacies.
- Educational webinars and community walks organised by IDF member associations in over 160 countries.
- Social media campaigns using
#WorldDiabetesDayand#WDD.
Sources & references
- worlddiabetesday.org — official campaign site run by the International Diabetes Federation.
- WHO — World Diabetes Day.
- IDF Diabetes Atlas — the source of global prevalence and mortality figures.
- UN Resolution 61/225 — the 2006 resolution formally recognising World Diabetes Day.
FAQs
November 14 is the birthday of Sir Frederick Banting, the Canadian physician who, with Charles Best, co-discovered insulin at the University of Toronto in 1921. The International Diabetes Federation (IDF) and the World Health Organization (WHO) launched the first World Diabetes Day on this date in 1991 to honour that breakthrough.
World Diabetes Day was elevated from an IDF/WHO campaign to an official United Nations day in December 2006, when the UN General Assembly adopted Resolution 61/225. It is one of only a handful of health observances formally recognised by the UN.
The blue circle, adopted in 2006, is the global symbol of diabetes awareness. Landmarks around the world — including the Empire State Building, the London Eye and the Sydney Opera House — are lit blue on November 14 each year.
Themes are set on a multi-year cycle by the IDF in collaboration with WHO. The 2024–2026 theme is "Diabetes and Well-Being." The current theme is published at worlddiabetesday.org each year.
According to the IDF Diabetes Atlas (10th edition), 537 million adults aged 20–79 lived with diabetes in 2021, projected to rise to 643 million by 2030 and 783 million by 2045. Type 2 accounts for roughly 90% of cases.
No. World Diabetes Day is an observance day, not a public holiday. Schools, businesses and government offices remain open in all countries that recognise it.