The 2015 World Vitiligo Day (WVD) campaign, headquartered in Shenyang, China, under Prof. Xing-Hua Gao, MD, orchestrated a powerful global movement that resonated across continents.

Significant milestones marked the ongoing effort to raise awareness and support for the vitiligo community. The campaign began on February 13, 2015, when the Indian Association of Dermatologists, Venereologists, and Leprologists (IADVL) synchronized their National Vitiligo Day with the global movement, shifting from May 19 to June 25 after years of tireless lobbying by Dr. Davinder Parsad.

Next, the International Dermatology Patient Organization Conference was held alongside the World Dermatology Congress in Vancouver, British Columbia, from June 11-13, 2015. Vitiligo group leaders from Australia, France, India, Nigeria, and the USA discussed key issues including education, awareness, advocacy, research, and fundraising. Leaders announced founding of the World Vitiligo Alliance, inviting other organizations to join. 

On June 25, activities worldwide reverberated with impact. In China, volunteers and 12 major hospitals joined forces to spread awareness and provide care to vitiligo patients. In a remarkable display of grassroots activism, volunteers in Shenyang and New York collected an impressive 20,000 petition signatures in a single day, helping the campaign reach its ambitious goal of 500,000 signatures by July. This milestone significantly advanced the quest for greater recognition and support by the United Nations and World Health Organization.

The campaign's momentum was strongly felt in Brazil, where Prof. Cunha led over 50 medical students in street rallies and university campus events. In Italy, Prof. Torello Lotti orchestrated a nationwide campaign with free skin check-ups and consultations for vitiligo patients at 15 major dermatology departments.

The media amplified the campaign's voice, with Marie Claire Magazine—among many others—publishing a special article on vitiligo, further expanding the awareness efforts. From Croatia to Canada, activists organized both virtual and face-to-face gatherings, allowing many individuals with vitiligo to publicly showcase their skin for the first time since their diagnosis.

In the United States, organizations like VITFriends and Vitiligo Bond collaborated with state governors to officially proclaim June as Vitiligo Awareness Month, marking a legislative triumph for the community.

These events are just a few of the many that unfolded around World Vitiligo Day 2015, and more details will be updated in the coming weeks.

The campaign demonstrated the power of coordinated global action. Through the combined efforts of medical professionals, volunteers, media, and individuals affected by vitiligo, the campaign successfully raised awareness, provided support, and pushed for greater recognition of vitiligo on an international scale.

Update: A full History of World Vitiligo Day