Resolution Torch of Diabetes Advocacy

Inuksuk Torch 05: Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada

2010-11-17T12:10:00.000-08:00

On the fourth United Nations Observed World Diabetes Day - November 14, 2010 - I placed Resolution Torch Inuksuk 05 at the Halifax Citadel National Historic Site of Canada. The Inuksuk included a blue circle hula hoop, a small water resistant package containing a small booklet I put together "Celebrating the United Nations Observed World Diabetes Day Involves the Head, the Heart & the Hands", other general information about diabetes and a special blue circle pin. I know when we checked on the Inuksuk the next morning it was gone and I look forward to hearing more, or at least imagining more about what happened to the Inuksuk...

The Fourth UN-Observed World Diabetes Day

2010-11-14T09:54:00.000-08:00

November 14, 2010 is the Fourth United Nations Observed World Diabetes Day. For this special day, my husband, two daughters and I are hosting a small but mighty World Diabetes Day Global Walk at the Halifax Citadel National Historic Site of Canada.

You can find out more about the Halifax Citadel National Historic Site of Canada at: http://www.pc.gc.ca/eng/lhn-nhs/ns/halifax/index.aspx

We are also planning to place a Resolution Torch Inuksuk at the Halifax Citadel National Historic Site of Canada. Included with the Inuksuk will be a blue circle hula hoop and small water resistant package including a blue circle pin and information about the United Nations Observed World Diabetes Day.

Hope that you find a way to celebrate and observe the UN-observed World Diabetes Day!

Inuksuk Torch 04: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

2010-08-02T19:34:00.000-07:00

I placed the Resolution Torch of Diabetes Advocacy Inuksuk Torch 04 at the top of Sugarloaf Mountain in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Included with the Inuksuk was a small, laminated card explaining the story of the Inuksuk and including this blog site address encouraging people who find the blue circle pin and small LED flashlight to share when they found the torch and what happened next in the journey...I look forward to hearing more, or at least imagining more about what happened to the Inuksuk...

Third Continent, Third Marathon Event

2010-07-30T19:38:00.000-07:00

In July of 2010, I successfully completed my third marathon event for the CDA TEAM Diabetes Program - the Rio de Janeiro Marathon in Brazil, South America. This was my first official half marathon event and it was so much fun! Never wanting to lose an opportunity to advocate for the UN Resolution on Diabetes, I made arrangements through the Canadian Embassy to meet with the Consulate General of Canada in Rio de Janeiro while while we were in Brazil. Myself, my husband and our two daughters met with Mr. Charles Larabie, the Consulate General of Canada in Rio de Janeiro, and he presented me with an artifact for the living time capsule - a beautiful porcelain replica of the "Christ the Redeemer Statue" - one of the most recognized symbols of Brazil.

Next Continent...South America

2010-01-01T17:52:00.000-08:00

As a part of my goal to take the Resolution Torch of Diabetes Advocacy around the globe, I will be using TEAM Diabetes Canada running events to mobilize the torch. My next continent will be South America.

On Sunday, July 18th, 2010 I will complete my third TEAM Diabetes Event in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, South America.

This time around I will be completing a half marathon - with two little girls I seem to be getting enough running around as it is...

YOU can make a donation to my TEAM Diabetes Canada fundraising by following this link to the Canadian Diabetes Association site.

https://ocp.diabetes.ca/Pledge/csSearch.asp?prId=td

Thanks - I appreciate your help!

The Third UN-Observed World Diabetes Day

2009-11-14T18:01:00.000-08:00

November 14, 2009 was the Third United Nations Observed World Diabetes Day. For this special day, my husband, two daughters and I journeyed to the Joggins UNESCO World Heritage Site. I advocated for and was able to receive a World Diabetes Day Proclamation from the Joggins UNESCO World Heritage Site. In addition to the Proclamation, we also received artifacts from the Joggins Site for the Resolution Torch Living Time Capsule. This included a book about the fossil cliffs: "The Fossil Cliffs of Joggins" by Laing Ferguson as well as the official package for the Nomination of the Joggins Fossil Cliffs for Inscription on the World Heritage List.

You can find out more about the Joggins World Heritage site at:
http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1285

To commemorate this day my family and I completed a Global Diabetes Walk along the beach of the Joggins UNESCO World Heritage Site - Find out more at: http://www.globaldiabeteswalk.net/

We also placed Resolution Torch Inuksuk Torch 04 at the Joggins UNESCO World Heritage Site. Included with the Inuksuk was a small, laminated cards explaining the story. Although we had planned to place two inuksuks, one for each daughter present, my youngest who is two decided that she did not want to leave her blue hoop at the site she wanted to keep it. Flexibility is the key - at least one of the inuksuks was able to be placed on the Joggins site.

Also a part of World Diabetes Day celebrations, monuments and buildings around the world are illuminated in blue. This year we made a valiant attempt to have some aspect of the Joggins UNESCO World Heritage Site lit in blue - See some related photos at: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=172906&id=695826141

Third UN-Observed World Diabetes Day Only Days Away

2009-11-12T17:10:00.000-08:00

It is hard to believe that the third UN-Observed World Diabetes Day is only days away. This year, we will be building upon the United Nations connection to the UN Resolution on Diabetes by taking the Resolution Torch that was started at the UN Headquarters on the first UN-observed World Diabetes Day to the Joggins UNESCO World Heritage Site. While there we will complete a symbolic World Diabetes Day Walk, and will receive from the Joggins UNESCO World Heritage Site a World Diabetes Day Proclamation and artifacts for the Resolution Torch living time capsule. We will also be trying to find a way to illuminate the Joggings UNESCO World Heritage site (or part of it at least) in blue. The kids and I have decorated some shorts with the symbolic blue circles and we have received some special blue circle hula hoops and pins that we will be placing to be passed on at the Joggins UNESCO World Heritage site. We will keep you posted on our World Diabetes Day adventures.

You can find out more about the World Diabetes Day Walks at: http://www.globaldiabeteswalk.net

Inuksuk Torch 02 and 03: Banff, Alberta

2009-08-01T20:18:00.000-07:00

I placed the Resolution Torch of Diabetes Advocacy Inuksuk Torch 02 and 03 at the Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks UNESCO World Heritage Site in Banff, Alberta, Canada. Included with the Inuksuks were small, laminated cards explaining the story of the Inuksuks and including this blog site address encouraging people who find the blue circle hula hoops to share when they found the torch and what happened next in the journey...I look forward to hearing more, or at least imagining more about what happened to the Inuksuks...

For more information about this UNESCO World Heritage Site: http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/304

Inuksuk Torch 01: Dinosaur Park, Alberta

2009-07-26T20:12:00.000-07:00

I placed the Resolution Torch of Diabetes Advocacy Inuksuk Torch 01 at the Dinosaur Provincial Park UNESCO World Heritage Site in Alberta, Canada. Included with the Inuksuk was a small, laminated card explaining the story of the Inuksuk and including this blog site address encouraging people who find the blue circle hula hoop to share when they found the torch and what happened next in the journey...I look forward to hearing more, or at least imagining more about what happened to the Inuksuk...

For more information about this UNESCO World Heritage Site: http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/71

Inuksuk Torch 00: Lunenburg, Nova Scotia

2009-05-18T20:39:00.000-07:00

I placed the Resolution Torch of Diabetes Advocacy Inuksuk Torch 00 at the Historic Town of Lunenburg UNESCO World Heritage Site in Nova Scotia, Canada on the second UN-observed World Diabetes Day - November 14, 2008. I look forward to hearing more, or at least imagining more about what happened to the Inuksuk...

For more information about this UNESCO World Heritage Site:
http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/741

Resolution Torch Inuksuks

2009-05-18T17:39:00.000-07:00

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...

The Second United Nations Observed World Diabetes Day

2008-11-14T18:43:00.000-08:00

November 14, 2008 was the Second United Nations Observed World Diabetes Day. I advocated for a World Diabetes Day Proclamation from Lunenburg Mayor Laurence Mawhinney and placed a copy of the Proclamation along with Resolution Torch of Diabetes Advocacy Inuksuk Torch 00 at the Historic Town of Lunenburg UNESCO World Heritage Site. The World Diabetes Day Proclamation from Lunenburg Mayor Laurence Mawhinney plus three books about Lunenburg: "Dutch Oven: A Cook Book of Coveted, Traditional Recipes from the Kitchens of Lunenburg", "Lunenburg: Then and Now" by B. Cuthbertson as well as " Bluenose: The Ocean Knows Her Name" by H. Getson comprised the Resolution Torch time capsule artifacts added this year.

To commemorate this day I organized and completed a Global Diabetes Walk around the Historic Town of Lunenburg UNESCO World Heritage Site - Find out more at: http://www.worlddiabetesfoundation.org/composite-1942.htm

Every year on World Diabetes Day, monuments and buildings around the world are illuminated in blue. This year I had the priveleges to see the Nova Scotia Province House lit in blue - See some related photos at: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=98994&id=695826141

Next Continent...

2008-09-30T17:41:00.001-07:00

As a part of my goal to take the Resolition Torch of Diabetes Advocacy around the globe, I will be using TEAM Diabetes Canada running events to mobilize the torch. My next goal had been the continent of Oceania and I was planning on doing the Australia Gold Coast Marathon Event in July 2009 and taking the Resolution Torch of Diabetes Advocacy with me on the run. Unfortunately, with the death of my father in August 2008, I had to shift my goals for my TEAM Diabetes events. Although my next continent will not be Oceania, taking the Torch to each continent of the world is still part of my long term goals and we will get there, and take the torch there someday.

I am still fuindraising for TEAM Diabetes and you can make a donation to my TEAM Diabetes Canada fundraising by following this link to the Canadian Diabetes Association site.

https://ocp.diabetes.ca/Pledge/csSearch.asp?prId=td

Thanks - I appreciate your help!

Photos of the Resolution Torch Journey

2008-07-30T23:00:00.000-07:00

You can see photos of the journey of the Resolution Torch of Diabetes Advocacy on my facebook site at:

http://www.new.facebook.com/album.php?aid=76409&l=d8c13&id=695826141

The Continuing Journey

2008-04-30T23:00:00.000-07:00

The goal of the Resolution Torch is to evolve diabetes knowledge, attitudes and behaviours around the globe. Another component of this will be ongoing action in relation to specific, targeted World Diabetes Day activities. I very much wanted to start off my first UN-observed World Diabetes Day with a symbolic run. My idea was to do a seven kilometer run to symbolize the seven continents of the world - the planned route for the Blue Circle Torch. I was able to meet this goal and completed a special run on the morning of the first UN-observed World Diabetes Day through New York. I am hoping to repeat this kind of symbolic run each year on World Diabetes Day, wherever I happen to be.

I will continue ongoing correspondence with local, national and international Government Officials, organizations, businesses and groups to continue advocacy for the United Nations Resolution on Diabetes and the Resolution Torch of Diabetes Advocacy around the globe.

The United Nations represents hope and possibility for our world
The United Nations Resolution on Diabetes represents hope and possibility for diabetes
The Resolution Torch is a living time capsule to capture & continue that hope, possibility & action

The First United Nations Observed World Diabetes Day

2007-11-14T23:00:00.000-08:00

November 14, 2007 was the First United Nations Observed World Diabetes Day. I had the honour of being one of two representatives of the Canadian Diabetes Association (CDA) at the UN Headquarters for the first UN-observed World Diabetes Day. To commemorate the UN Resolution and that is where I started a Resolution Torch of Diabetes Advocacy. The time capsule artifacts contributed the first year included a copy of the UN Resolution, signed and dated on the first UN-observed World Diabetes Day by the Honourable Ismat Jahan, Ambassador from the People’s Republic of Bangladesh (the lead country on the Resolution), a copy of a letter written by the Queen Mother about Banting House, signed and dated on the first UN-observed World Diabetes Day by the Honourable Henri Paul Normandin, Canadian Ambassador to the UN, and a UN postcard, sent from the “official” UN Post office with the date stamp of the first UN-observed World Diabetes Day.

To commemorate this day all representatives at the UN completed a symbolic 246 step march from the United Nations Headquarters representing the 246 million people worldwide living with diabetes.

Every year on World Diabetes Day, monuments and buildings around the world are illuminated in blue. For the first UN-observed World Diabetes Day the Empire State Building was lit in blue - See some related photos at: http://www.facebook.com/photos.php?id=695826141#/album.php?aid=98992&id=695826141&op=6

Gathering Momentum

2007-11-01T11:00:00.000-07:00

Once the Resolution on Diabetes passed in December of 2006, my efforts shifted to following up with government officials, and the corporate sector in order to encourage thinking about how to support the Resolution. I am pleased that the United Nations Resolution on Diabetes become a reality, but the resolution itself is only the symbolic beginning of important work that needs to be done. After being directly involved in the advocacy efforts leading up to the United Nations Resolution on Diabetes, I knew that there was something I wanted to do in order to initiate a longer-term advocacy effort: Something that would start on the very first UN-observed World Diabetes Day and continue from there. That idea was a Resolution Torch. I was asked to be one of two representatives that the CDA sent to the events happening at the UN Headquarters for the first UN-observed World Diabetes Day. It was an immense honor and a privilege to be selected to represent the CDA at the historic first UN-observed World Diabetes Day. Part of my goal in attending was to initiate this Resolution Torch at the UN headquarters on the first UN-observed World Diabetes Day.

Leading up to the first UN-observed World Diabetes Day I needed to figure out what the Resolution Torch would be. The idea of a living time capsule started to evolve and I worked closely with the Canadian Diabetes Association on gathering the initial artifacts for the Torch “Living Time Capsule” - one of the first foundation artifacts fittingly came from Grant Maltman, Curator, Banting House Canadian National Historic Site, London, ON, Canada, North America. The artifacts contributed included a copy of a letter written by the Queen Mother about Banting House, a Canadian National Historic Site where Frederick Banting lived and practiced and a piece of rock from Banting House, the Canadian National Historic Site.

Starting Out

2006-02-01T11:00:00.000-08:00

2006-2007: Advocacy for the United Nations Resolution and Inception of the Resolution Torch – Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada

My name is Sue Boutilier. I am a person that has been living with Type I diabetes for almost thirty years. Chronic illness is, and always will be, an important part of my life. I am an active member of the Canadian Diabetes Association (CDA) and a member of the International Diabetes Federation (IDF). When I first read about the movement to create a United Nations Resolution on Diabetes I knew this was something I wanted to work to support, to do what I could to help make the Resolution a reality. I have always held the work of the United Nations in high esteem. A UN Resolution represents an important way to attract attention to diabetes and for continuing diabetes advocacy against a global epidemic. I find it scary when I see the statistics relating to the growing epidemic of diabetes. Perhaps the reason I find it scary is because I know what it is like to live with the disease. I know that not everyone knows that reality, but it is my hope that a Resolution on diabetes might help to stop this epidemic, and ensure not everyone has to discover the reality of living with diabetes.

In order to do what I can to make the United Nations Resolution on Diabetes a reality, I became directly involved in the grass roots advocacy for this Resolution. I worked on gathering letters of support for the Resolution from my municipal, provincial and federal government representatives. I sent letters requesting support for the Resolution to the following government representatives: twenty-three (23) municipal level government officials including the Mayor of the Halifax Regional Municipality (HRM) - Peter Kelly, my own municipal councilor, and the other HRM councilors, eighteen (18) provincial level government officials including the Premier of the province of Nova Scotia, my own Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA), and Department Ministers, and twenty-seven (27) federal level government officials including the Prime Minister of Canada, Department Ministers, and my own Member of Parliament.

In November of 2006, I successfully completed my second marathon for the CDA TEAM Diabetes Program - the New York City Marathon. Never wanting to lose an opportunity to advocate for this cause, I encouraged Team Diabetes members to get involved in the Unite for Diabetes Campaign. I took action to make arrangements so that during my time in New York City I could meet with the Permanent Representative of Canada to the United Nations, Ambassador Henri-Paul Normandin and advocate for Canada’s support of the Resolution. My meeting with the Ambassador took place at the Mission Office at One Dag Hammarskjöld Plaza. Myself, my husband and our two year old daughter met with the Ambassador for approximately one half hour to discuss the importance of the Resolution, and to present him with information, as well as copies of letters supporting the resolution that I had collected. This meeting led to follow up correspondence with the Ambassador, to continue advocacy, and find out more about the Resolution process.

I was elated when the landmark United Nations Resolution on Diabetes was passed in December 2006.