The Second United Nations Observed World Diabetes Day

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...

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

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

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

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

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

2006-2007: 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.