Diabetes Education and Prevention is the World Diabetes Day theme for the period 2009-2013. The campaign calls on all those responsible for diabetes care to understand diabetes and take control. For people with diabetes, this is a message about empowerment through education. For governments, it is a call to implement effective strategies and policies for the prevention and management of diabetes to safeguard the health of their citizens with and at risk of diabetes. For healthcare professionals, it is a call to improve knowledge so that evidence-based recommendations are put into practice. For the general public, it is a call to understand the serious impact of diabetes and know, where possible, how to avoid or delay diabetes and its complications. The key messages of the campaign are:

Campaign Objectives

The objectives for the 2009-2013 campaign were informed by the work of the Federation’s Consultative Section on Education and its Task Force on Epidemiology and Prevention. The objectives were further informed by the World Health Organization’s 2008-2013 Action Plan for the Global Strategy for the Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Diseases.

The campaign goals are to:

• Encourage governments to implement and strengthen policies for the prevention and control of diabetes and its complications.
• Disseminate tools to support national and local initiatives for the prevention and management of diabetes and its complications.
• Illustrate the importance of evidence-based education in the prevention and management of diabetes and its complications.
• Raise awareness of the warning signs of diabetes and promote action to encourage early diagnosis.
• Raise awareness of and promote action to reduce the main modifiable risk factors for type 2 diabetes.
• Raise awareness and promote action to prevent or delay the complications of diabetes.

In 2012, the World Diabetes Day campaign will link the urgent need for action to the protection of the health of our future generations. Particular focus will be placed on highlighting the importance of education – for health professionals, people with diabetes and people at risk – in reducing the impact of diabetes throughout the world.

The slogan for the 2013 campaign is