Belgrade joins Cities Changing Diabetes as city number 30

At the event, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed, and the "Open the Blue Circle" project was launched. This project, which is the first joint initiative between the partners, also includes the Faculty of Medicine of the Belgrade University, the Diabetes Association of Serbia and the Diabetes Association of Belgrade.

The name of the initiative – Open the Blue Circle – refers to the intention of the project to break the vicious circle caused by urban diabetes and to open the city to the needs of the inhabitants who are affected by urban living. It also alludes to the fact that the platform is open to all who wish to contribute to making the city a healthier place to live. The online platform, which will be launched on World Diabetes Day (14 November), will provide users with information about diabetes and specially designed walking routes in the city. Participants who sign up to the initiative can "collect kilometres" by walking the routes. These kilometres will then be converted into financial donations from Novo Nordisk to aid in the fight against diabetes in Belgrade. The funding will be dedicated to a comprehensive study by the Faculty of Medicine on improving the work of primary diabetes care units in the capital.