The AFDIAG, or French Association for Persons Intolerant to Gluten, will be setting up a number of stands on the Place Rihour in Lille in order to inform citizens about the disease. Members of the medical committee and the Association, as well as their families, friends and partners, will be joining in and a number of events have been scheduled, including the following:

• Launching of a compact disk entitled “Conte sans gluten” (A Tale of No Gluten) in the presence of Franck Vandecasteele and Pierre-Yves Gronier.
• Projection of extracts from the documentary film entitled “Gluten intolerance and celiac disease”
• A workshop on baking gluten-free bread
• A musical interlude presented by the brass band of the “Symphonists Européens”
• Book signing of “My gluten-free recipes” (First Editions)
• Release of balloons along with a distance contest
• Acrobats, jugglers and clowns

In Europe, it is estimated that one out of 100 persons may develop celiac disease. In France, only 10-20% of such cases are diagnosed. At present, the absence of information is the main obstacle confronting gluten-intolerant persons. All members of the population are concerned, including certain health and nutrition professionals, local governments and public authorities.

The goal of the AFDIAG is to familiarize the public with this autoimmune genetic disease during International Celiac Disease Day on May 14.