Mark your calendars and pack your sunscreen!

On June 25th, 2023, a brilliant beacon will shine on vitiligo as the thirteenth annual World Vitiligo Day (WVD) unfolds in Almaty, Kazakhstan. This vibrant global event unites researchers, doctors, and patients in a spirited effort to boost awareness and celebrate the remarkable diversity, tenacity, and strength of nearly 100 million vitiligo warriors worldwide.

Each year, WVD plants its flag in a new city, marking the start of the global campaign. Last year, Mexico's Senate played host, and now it's Almaty's turn to take center stage in 2023. With "Vitiligo: Looking Into the Future" as the guiding theme, the Ministry of Health of Kazakhstan has officially proclaimed June as Vitiligo Awareness Month, igniting celebrations across 12 Kazakhstani cities and beyond, reaching Central Asia. At the helm of WVD-2023 is honorary president Dr. Aliya Kassymkhanova.

World Vitiligo Day sprang to life in 2011, fueled by the unwavering determination of non-profit organizations VR Foundation (USA) and VITSAF (Nigeria), and their steadfast supporters from around the globe. The Aksenov Family Foundation's generosity has been instrumental in catapulting WVD into an international powerhouse, spotlighting vitiligo and integrating it into the mainstream health discourse.

The progress has been nothing short of astounding. A mere 12 years ago, only two or three companies dared to venture into vitiligo drug development. Today, that number has skyrocketed to over 35, with several promising drugs on the horizon in the next 3-5 years, complemented by the first vitiligo drug officially registered by the US FDA. A testament to WVD's triumph, nearly twenty U.S. state governors and countless city mayors have declared June as 'Vitiligo Awareness Month.'

WVD's global reach extends far and wide. Vitiligo Patient Leaders from across Europe will convene in Brussels, Belgium, from June 23-26, organized by the Vitiligo International Patient Organizations Committee (VIPOC). Meanwhile, on June 23rd, the US-based event in Atlanta, GA, spearheaded by VITFriends and the Global Vitiligo Foundation, promises to be a memorable gathering. Stay tuned for further details on events in other exciting locations.

To this date, WVD Presidential Committee and VRF coordinate the global effort, while national and local vitiligo support groups organize conferences, walks, picnics, parades, and other events. Also, clinics and volunteer doctors offer free skin screening programs, education and consultations to the public. With all this activity comes attention – and TV channels, radio stations, newspapers and internet influencers now cover WVD. The WVD Presidential Committee inlcudes:

• Dr. Aliya Kassymkhanova (Kazakhstan, 2023)
• Prof. Jorge Ocampo Candiani (Mexico, 2022)
• Dr. Srie Prihian Gondokaryono (Indonesia, 2021)
• Prof. Ivana Binić (Serbia, 2020)
• Prof. Nguyen Van Thuong (Vietnam, 2019)
• Prof. Paulo Cunha (Brazil, 2017)
• Prof. Jana Hercogova (Czech Republic, 2016)
• Prof. Xing-Hua Gao (China, 2015)
• Prof. Davinder Parsad (India, 2014)
• Prof. Henri Lim (USA, 2013)
• Prof. Torello Lotti (Italy, 2012), Chair of WVD Presidential Committee
• Ogo Maduewesi (Nigeria, 2011), co-Founder
• Prof. Yan Valle (Canada), co-Founder, General Manager.