From 12 to 15 November, the Novo Nordisk Brazil affiliate organised a variety of activities celebrating World Diabetes Day with more than 5,200 people involved countrywide - a lot of these were children. Beside huge Global Diabetes Walks in six Brazilian cities, theatre plays and School Challenge activities were arranged which children participated in. 

Theatre and drums in Belo Horizonte
Belo Horizonte is the city chosen by the World Diabetes Foundation to receive raised funds from the 2006 activities. The money will support an educational project in the large slum area “Favela da Pedreira” in Belo Horizonte – Minas Gerais. Children and teenagers from the slum area participated in the walk with a very nice theatre presentation related to diabetes and its complications. They also lead the crowds through the itinerary while playing drums.

In addition, screening campaigns were organized as well as other activities such as physical exercises, dance, educational material distribution and relaxation massages for the participants. More than 1,200 people took part in the event.

School Challenge and writing contest in Montes Claros
Motivated by the fact that engaging in the WDD activities is a way of living up to the promise of 'changing diabetes', as well as by a recent study suggesting that the level of unawareness of type 2 diabetes in their community may be close to 75%, the Novo Nordisk employees decided to take action. Thus, prior to World Diabetes Day, School Challenge activities were carried out in 11 public schools throughout Montes Claros, reaching 3,270 students and engaging 48 Novo Nordisk employees. The tool used was a diabetes type 2 quiz selected from the School Challenge website and translated into Portuguese.

In addition, it was decided to create a writing contest on the theme 'changing diabetes'. Enrolment for the contest was only possible at the Global Diabetes Walk, in which the schools were all invited to take part.