ICLDC joins 500 buildings worldwide in global Monument Challenge drawing attention to Diabetes

Worldwide, more than 500 buildings, well-known monuments and landmarks are being illuminated to depict the blue circle symbol for Diabetes awareness.

ICLDC will be in the company of the iconic London Eye, the Sydney Opera House, New York's Empire State Building, Italy's Leaning Tower of Pisa, the Eiffel Tower in Paris, the Tokyo Tower, Niagara Falls, Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro, the Bosphorus Bridge in Istanbul, the Library of Alexandria in Egypt, and the world's tallest building, Taipei 101, in Taiwan.

This is the second year running that ICLDC has participated in the global 'Beacon of Hope - Monument Challenge' campaign, initiated by the International Diabetes Federation (IDF).

IDF's aim is to encourage at least 500 monuments and iconic buildings to light up and 'Unite for Diabetes' to mark World Diabetes Day. ICLDC's building is the only landmark in the capital to join the 2008 challenge.

ICLDC's Chairman, His Excellency, Khaldoon Khalifa Al Mubarak said that the Centre will remain blue until the end of November.

He said:

"The ICLDC building will light up in blue for 14 days to mark World Diabetes Day and Diabetes Awareness Activities, which is followed by the second annual Diabetes walkathon - WALK UAE 2008 in Abu Dhabi on November 28 2008."

WALK UAE 2008 is organised by ICLDC in partnership with the Emirates Foundation, and sponsored exclusively by the National Insurance Company - Daman. More than 10,000 people are expected to join this year's event, up 100% from last year's inaugural walk.