T1D Advocacy in Action: Highlights from the 2025 NCDA Forum
In February 2025, The Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) Community Fund joined more than 600 advocates, policymakers, funders, and technical experts at the Noncommunicable Diseases Alliance (NCDA) Forum in Kigali, Rwanda. The global gathering focused on advancing action on noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), including T1D.
The Forum marked the first in-person convening of T1D Community Fund grantee partners, The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust, and Panorama staff. Together, they began aligning strategies ahead of the United Nations General Assembly high-level meetings on NCDs in September 2025.
Panorama Global supported travel for 30 grantee partner organizations from 23 countries to attend the Forum, to strengthen collective advocacy and elevate the global conversation on NCDs and T1D. The T1D Community Fund hosted a pre-conference workshop, Collaborate for Change: Advancing T1D Advocacy, bringing together partners to share strategies, build connections, and strengthen the collective voice of the T1D community.
The Forum provided a powerful platform to advance urgent action and elevate diverse perspectives, including grassroots leaders from The T1D Community Fund. Grantee partners shared their experiences, connected with donors and NGOs, and strengthened the networks needed to influence decision-makers at the highest levels. Panorama captured highlights and attendee insights in this blog.
Underscoring the power of collaboration, partner organizations co-developed this Global Call to Action. Grantees continued to use it throughout 2025 as an advocacy tool to engage their local governments and advocate for the needs of people living with T1D in low- and middle-income countries—helping ensure that T1D remains central to the NCD agenda.
Partners from The T1D Community Fund, Helmsley Charitable Trust, NCD Alliance pose for a group photo after the T1D pre-conference