Monday, May 18, 2009

Resolution Torch Inuksuks

The word inuksuk means "something which acts for or performs the function of a person" - With the Resolution Torch of Diabetes Advocacy I have started the process of leaving blue circle hula hoops produced by the Canadian Diabetes Association as living Inuksuks at UNESCO World Heritage Sites. After igniting the torch on the first UN observed World Diabetes Day, the Second UN Observed World Diabetes Day saw the placement of the first Torch Inuksuk - a sympbolic blue circle torch intended to be passed on to help evolve diabetes knowledge, attitudes and behaviours. Torch Inuksuk 00 was left was at the Historic Town of Lunenburg UNESCO World Heritage Site on November 14, 2008 . The only thing is I have no idea what happened to this torch inuksuk. When I visited the site recently, the blue circle torches were gone, and my mind was working overtime trying to imagine the scenarios and possibilities of what could have happened to these blue circle hula hoops... There are all kinds of magical stories and possibilities...Did the hoops stay on the statue for a full day? Did the hoops stay on the statue for a full week? Did the hoops stay on the statue for a full month? More than a month? I wonder what happened...

This was a part of the epiphany I had in Ottawa at the Rideau Canal UNESCO World Heritage Site - the need to document the journey of these inuksuk torches - to create brief, weather proof cards that could accompany the torches including this blog site address encouraging people who find the blue circles to share when they found the torch and what happened next in the journey...

I plan on initiating this process with Inuksuk Torch 01 when I visit my next UNESCO World Heritage Site. I'll be interested to see what happens...

1 comment:

campaola said...

Found an Inuksuk in Dinosaur Provincial Park near Brooks, Alberta on Monday, July 27,2009. Will endeavour to pass it on somewhere on Vancouver Island. The only connection to diabetes we have is with an extended family member in Mexico City who has it.