Overview of past Rare Disease Days

Check out a summary of other years

Each year Rare Disease Day has seen events take place all over the world. See year-by-year highlights and how Rare Disease Day has grown since its first celebration in 2008.

Rare Disease DayRare Disease Day 2018 highlights 

Theme: Research
Slogan: Show your rare. Show you care.
Participants in over 90 countries and regions
Newcomers in 2018: Cape Verde, Ghana, Syrian Arab Republic, Togo and Trinidad and Tobago
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Rare Disease Day 2017 highlights

Theme: Research
Slogan: With research, possibilities are limitless
Participants in 94 countries and regions
Newcomers in 2017: Botswana, Nigeria, Senegal, Sudan and Saint Pierre and Micquelon
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Rare Disease Day 2016 highlights

Theme: Patient voice 
Slogan: Join us in making the voice of rare diseases heard
Participants in 85 countries and regions
Newcomers in 2016: Andorra, Aruba, Indonesia, Libya, Mauritius, Moldova, 
Tanzania, Tunisia, Uganda and Zimbabwe
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Rare Disease DayRare Disease Day 2015 highlights

Theme: Living with a rare disease
Slogan: Day-by-day, hand-in-hand
Participants in 85 countries and regions 
Newcomers in 2015: Bolivia, Estonia and Madagascar
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Rare Disease DayRare Disease Day 2014 highlights

Theme: Care
Slogan: Join Together for Better Care!
Participants in 84 countries and regions 
Newcomers in 2014: Cuba, Ecuador, Egypt, Guinea, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Oman, and Paraguay
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Rare Disease DayRare Disease Day 2013 highlights

Theme: Solidarity
Slogan: Rare Disorders without Borders
Participants in 72 countries and regions 
Newcomers in 2013: Bahrain, Iceland, Israel, Lebanon, Palestine and Singapore
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Rare Disease DayRare Disease Day 2012 highlights

Theme: Solidarity
Slogan: Rare but Strong Together!
Participants in 63 countries and regions
Newcomers in 2012: Chile, Costa Rica, Czech Republic, Guatemala, Pakistan and Venezuela 
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Rare Disease DayRare Disease Day 2011 highlights

Theme: Rare diseases and health inequalities
Slogan: Rare but Equal
Participants in 55 countries and regions 
Newcomers in 2011: Armenia, Iran, Mexico, Morocco, Nepal, Panama, Peru, Thailand, Uruguay
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Rare Disease DayRare Disease Day 2010 highlights

Theme: Bridging patients and researchers
Slogan: Patients and Researchers: Partners for life!
Participants in 45 countries and regions 
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Rare Disease DayRare Disease Day 2009 highlights

Theme: Rare Diseases: a Public Health Priority
Slogan: Patient Care: A Public Affair!
Participants in 30 countries and regions 
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Rare Disease DayRare Disease Day 2008 highlights

Theme: Rare Diseases as a Public Health Priority
Slogan: A rare day for very special people
Participants in 18 countries 
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News
Theme 2019
Theme 2019
Rare Disease Day 2019 theme announced: Bridging health and social care The theme for Rare Disease Day 2019 is 'Bridging health and social care'. For most people living with a rare disease, as well...
11 Oct 2018
Get involved - #ShowYourRare for Rare Disease Day 2019!
Get involved - #ShowYourRare for Rare Disease Day 2019!
Launched in 2018, #ShowYourRare is the interactive social media campaign for Rare Disease Day.Anyone around the world can get involved by painting their face and sharing a selfie on social media using...
14 Sep 2018
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