Published by the EBU Office
With the financial support of
DG Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities
of the European Commission
Table of contents :
Editor’s Note
Success of the EDF 1 million4disability campaign
EBU Membership
European Parliament Film Prize without audio description
National News
International Congress for Blind and Partially Sighted Children
FEATURE : The EU Parking Card for Disabled People
[ The opinions expressed in this Newsletter are those of the writers and do not necessarily reflect the views of the EBU. ]Editor’s Note
Welcome to EBU Newsletter N° 57.
This edition goes out just after our 8th General Assembly and Equality and
Diversity Forum were concluded on 26 November. At this early stage and based
on preliminary feedback, I can only say that both events were an outstanding
success. The Turkish Federation of the Blind did a great job in providing
excellent working arrangements. Delegates were particularly pleased by the
workshop sessions and found these enabled them to take a more active part in
the proceedings. Of course you will hear more in the next issue which will be
totally dedicated to the Assembly and Forum.
The Feature Section provides extensive information on the EU parking card for
disabled people. This is an issue the EBU Liaison Commission intends to look
into in the coming period 2007-2011.
Enjoy your reading !
Please feel free to send your comments on the Newsletter layout and contents
to ebuoffice@euroblind.org
Success of the EDF 1 million4disability campaign |
On 4 October 2007, 1232771 signatures collected in only 9 months by the
European disability movement in favour of a disability directive were handed
over in Brussels to the European Commission Vice-President.
“I am not proud or able to say that Europe and its institutions have made
everything possible. We have not ! We have failed and we a have a lot more
work to do”, said Margaret Wallström, Vice-President of the European
Commission. “You are such an important pressure on us that continues to remind
us about the work that we still have to do and you are an important
collaborator for the European Commission to prepare legislative proposal. I
know that work is going on for a legislative proposal, hopefully for next
year. We promised to deliver and we will deliver also on these promises”.
These were the words that Margaret Wallström addressed to the two thousand
representatives of disabled people, which had travelled to Brussels from 30
different European countries. “I understand your disappointment”, said
Wallström, when the participants expressed their resentment regarding
President Barroso’s last minute decision not to attend the event.
“We need the Commission to fulfil the promises that were made back in 2004. We
need now your answer. Not only for the persons present here, but also for
those in all capitals, in all cities, in all villages. We firmly believe that
Europe has to be a place of equal opportunities for all. If Europe fails, it
will be even more away from its citizens”, said Yannis Vardakastanis,
President of the European Disability Forum. “We cannot tolerate ignorance ; we
cannot tolerate any delays on the part of the European institutions. There is
no excuse. Everybody knows”.
Hans-Gert Pöttering, President of the European Parliament and one of the key
supporters of the campaign renewed the Parliament’s full support for a
European specific directive : “The European Union is based on the principles
of respect and human dignity. Let us work together to achieve this goal. I am
glad that you succeeded in collecting the million signatures : this is a sign
of hope for Europe”.
Idalia Moniz, on behalf of the Portuguese Presidency of the European Union :
“Portugal is ready as Presidency and as Member State to work on the
Commission’s proposal aiming to strengthening equality legislation and in
particular, through the adoption of comprehensive and efficient European
disability legislation”.
Several authorities representing the various decision-levels in Belgium were
also there to support the European Disability Forum campaign, including Gisèle
Mandaila, Federal Secretary of State for People with Disabilities, Steven
Vanackere, Flemish Minister of Welfare, Public Health and Family, Belgium and
Evelyne Huytebroeck, Ministry of the Brussels-Capital Region. A symbolic
cheque representing the 1232771 signatures was handed over to the
Vice-President of the European Commission. The boxes containing the signatures
will be certified and sent to Mr Barroso’s office in the next days.
Further information from Helena González-Sancho Bodero, EDF Communication and
Press Officer,
communication@edf-feph.org
htpp://www.1million4disability.eu
EBU Membership
.gif)
Voice on The Go
The Board of EBU has confirmed sponsoring membership status to Voice on the
Go.
As you will have read from EBU Newsletter 56, Voice on the Go allows mobile
subscribers hands-free and eyes-free access to email, contacts, calendar and
other content by voice on any mobile phone or BlackBerry device. Voice on the
Go subscribers can easily listen and reply to, forward, compose and delete
emails, all by voice.
www.voiceonthego.com
Ligo Internacia de Blindaj Esperantistoj (LIBE)
LIBE, the organization of blind esperantists, becomes
associate member of EBU.
It aims to promote the teaching of Esperanto and the participation of blind
and partially sighted people, especially the young, in Esperanto events.
Further information about LIBE from Arvo Karvinen,
arvo.karvinen@elisanet.fi
European Parliament Film Prize without audio-description
The European Parliament has launched a new film award 'Prize LUX', which
will be given on 24 October. The winning film will not be awarded a sum of
money but will be subtitled into the EU's 23 official languages.
This initiative is being championed by the French Green MEP Gérard Onesta who
believes that subtitling will remove linguistic barriers and allow widespread
distribution of films. This is, of course, a laudable initiative, but one
which does not improve access to films for blind and partially sighted people.
It has been confirmed with the European Parliament official responsible for
this initiative that the winning film will not be audio-described in any
language. And only one of the films being screened for the award is being made
available with audio-description (in its original version, French).
This is all the more disappointing that, back in May, the Commission,
Parliament and Council came to an agreement on the TVWF Directive, which
included the addition of the following wording on disability:
"Article 3ba.
Member States shall encourage media service providers under their jurisdiction
to ensure that their services are gradually made accessible to people with a
visual or hearing disability."
EBU is taking action to point out the issue to Gérard Onesta.
Further information from Anne Spinali, RNIB European Campaigns Officer,
anne.spinali@rnib.org.uk
National News
National Braille Day in Italy !
The Italian Parliament passed a law instituting 21 February as National
Braille Day in last August. To mark the day, administrations and other public
bodies working in the social field will run activities to raise awareness and
promote braille and to show solidarity towards visually impaired people.
Workshops and other events will be held at schools with media coverage to draw
attention to the important role the braille writing and reading system plays
in blind people’s lives. This should contribute to visually impaired people's
social inclusion in Italy.
Further information from Patrizia Cegna,
inter@uiciechi.it
Back to contents
UN Convention ratification
- On 26 September, Mr. Ivan Gasparovic, President of the Slovak Republic,
signed the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the
Optional Protocol. To date, there are 118 signatories to the Convention, 67
signatories to the Optional Protocol, 7 ratifications of the Convention and 3
ratifications of the Protocol.
- The Convention will also be given immediate ratification in Spain. The
Spanish Senate, in response to requests from CERMI, the Spanish National
Disability Council, has speeded up the procedure and will grant authorisation
for the Convention to be ratified during its plenary session on the afternoon
of November 6th. This brings to a successful conclusion the parliamentary
process and the Kingdom of Spain will then be in a position to ratify.
Further information:
http://www.un.org/disabilities/default.asp?navid=8&pid=150
International Congress for Blind and Partially Sighted Children
The first International Congress for Blind and Partially Sighted Children will
be held on 25-29 March 2008 in Pontevedra, Spain. This major event will be
hosted by the Spanish National Organisation of the Blind (ONCE) on behalf of
the World Blind Union Children’s Committee.
The aim of the congress is to provide a forum for blind and partially sighted
teenagers from all over the world to reflect on their current status and put
forward their demands and needs to decision and policy makers and to those
responsible for representing their interests. Twenty-four boys and girls,
between the ages of 14 and 16, representing all six regions of the world and
selected through an essay competition will take part in the congress.
Further information from Ana Peláez Narváez,
rrii@once.es
http://www.wipo.int/meetings/en/doc_details.jsp?doc_id=75696
FEATURE
The EU Parking Card for People with Disabilities
By Caroline Fakhr,
EBU Information Officer
In 1998, the European Council issued a recommendation introducing an EU
parking card for people with disabilities, allowing them to park on designated
parking spaces. The main line of the recommendation was to have an identically
looking parking card based on standards defined by the European Commission :
blue, with the holder’s picture, and labelled « parking card » in all
languages of the European Union.
http://ec.europa.eu/employment_social/soc-prot/disable/parkingcard/parkca_en.pdf
The main aim was to achieve a mutual recognition of parking cards for people
with disabilities within the EU whilst the introduction of the parking card
had to be in accordance with national provisions. Member states were to decide
what was needed to obtain the card and what special concessions were granted
to its holders ( e.g. definition of disability and whether blind people were
entitled to the parking card). National modalities set in a given country
should apply to all card-holders whether residing in or visiting that country.
http://ec.europa.eu/employment_social/news/2001/jul/disabilitycard_fr.html
The following is a description of the implementation of this EU recommendation
in each of the member states. First, we will consider the card status and
whether blind people are entitled to this card. 4 sources have been used to
gather this information : the Liaison Commission email list, the EBU national
member representatives (nm), the responsible authorities in the EU member
states and the internet.
Further, we will describe the conditions and concessions for card-holders. We
thought it useful to spell out the details of these concessions even in cases
where the card is not open to blind people. This information is contained in
the leaflet issued by the EU and can be read on the following website
http://www.focusondisability.org.uk/reciprocal-park-europe.html
One major difficulty in gathering this information is that in most sources, no
reference is made to partially sighted people. It is not clear whether this is
due to the lack of awareness of partially sighted people as a group of its own
or to the fact that partially sighted people are just not eligible for the
card.
Austria
Austria has introduced the EU parking card, but blind people are not eligible.
Only people having a disability that restricts their mobility can apply.
Conditions and concessions for card-holders
General : on roads and in car parks, parking places reserved for disabled
people are marked with a wheelchair symbol. Do not park there if the space is
marked with a name or vehicle registration number.
Parking on roads : do not park on roads where waiting is prohibited. You may
park without time limit on roads where parking is free but restricted by time.
In most areas you must pay to park on roads where payment is required. Check
locally. You may drive and park in pedestrian zones, but only during vehicle
delivery access times. Check locally.
Parking in car parks : Public car parks offer no concessions to vehicles
displaying a disabled person's parking card.
Belgium
Belgium introduced the EU parking card in 2000, and blind and partially
sighted people are eligible. It has unlimited validity.
Conditions and concessions for card-holders
General : On roads and in car parks parking places reserved for disabled
people are marked with a wheelchair symbol.
Parking on roads : Do not park on roads where waiting is prohibited.
You may park without time limit on roads where parking is free but restricted
by time. In most areas you may park free of charge on roads where payment is
required, for example at parking meters. Check locally.
Do not drive or park in pedestrian zones.
Parking in car parks : Some car parks allow vehicles displaying a disabled
person's parking card to be parked free of charge but only in specific parking
bays marked for disabled people. Check with car park notices or ask an
attendant.
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic has a parking card for disabled people with a white
wheelchair on blue background; however it is not the EU standard parking card.
Blind people are eligible.
The card allows its holder to park on signalized places, to park longer on
short time parking spaces and to park for free on some paid parking places.
Holders are also exempted from having a toll sticker for the highway .The
driver has to have the disabled person in his car, with some exceptions (way
back after transportation to school, hospital, etc.).
Denmark
Denmark has introduced the EU parking card, but blind people are not eligible.
Conditions and concessions for card-holders
General : On roads and in car parks, parking places reserved for disabled
people are marked with the wheelchair symbol. Do not park there if the space
is marked with a name or vehicle registration number. Parking discs are used
in Denmark and can be bought wherever motor fuels are sold. Whenever drivers
park in areas with time limits they are required to set the disc. However,
vehicles may display discs issued outside Denmark.
Parking on roads: You may park for 15 minutes on roads where waiting is
prohibited (see the European traffic signs details).
The following time limits apply generally to vehicles displaying a disabled
person's parking card : where parking is limited to 15-30 minutes, you may
park for up to an hour. Where parking is limited to 3 hours, you may park for
an unlimited time.
On roads with parking meters or pay-and-display parking, you must pay
according to how long you park, but if you make the maximum payment, you may
park for an unlimited time.
You may be allowed to drive and park in pedestrian zones, but this will be
only during specific vehicle access times, and for a maximum of 15 minutes.
Check locally.
Parking in car parks : In car parks where payment is required, you must pay
according to how long you park, but if you make the maximum payment, you may
park for an unlimited time
Estonia
Estonia has introduced the EU parking card, and blind people are eligible. However, some additional restrictions apply to them since they are not the drivers. The drivers can ignore some traffic signs and are allowed to park only for the time it takes to let the person out of the car.
Finland
Finland has introduced the EU parking card, and blind people are eligible.
Conditions and concessions for card-holders
General : On roads and in car parks, parking places reserved for disabled
people are marked with a wheelchair symbol. Do not park there if the space is
marked with a name or vehicle registration number.
Parking on roads : You may park on roads where waiting is prohibited (see
the European traffic signs details). You may park without time limit on roads
where parking is free but restricted by time. You may park free of charge and
without time limit on roads with parking meters or pay-and-display parking.
You may be allowed to drive and park in pedestrian zones, check locally.
Parking in car parks : Vehicles displaying a disabled person's parking card
may be parked free of charge and beyond time limits.
France
France has introduced the EU parking card, and blind people are eligible
because they are dependent on other persons for car drives. It may have
unlimited validity but can also be attributed for a limited duration (at least
one year).
Conditions and concessions for card-holders
General : Although there is a national system of parking concessions, local
variations can apply. Check locally. In Paris, vehicles displaying a disabled
person's parking card may be parked on roads free of charge. On roads and in
car parks, parking places reserved for disabled people are marked with a
wheelchair symbol.
Parking on roads : Do not park on roads where waiting is prohibited. You may
park beyond the time limit on roads where parking is free but restricted by
time. Check locally to establish what the concession is. You must pay to park
on roads where payment is required (except in Paris). Do not drive or park in
pedestrian zones.
Parking in car parks : Car parks do not generally offer concessions to
vehicles displaying a disabled person's parking card.
Germany
Germany has introduced the EU parking card since 2001, and blind people are
eligible. It is easy to order or to exchange for the old German parking card.
Conditions and concessions for card-holders
General : On roads and in car parks, parking places reserved for disabled
people are marked with a wheelchair symbol. Do not park there if the space is
marked with a name or vehicle registration number.
Parking on roads : You may park for up to 3 hours on roads where waiting is
prohibited and in residents' parking areas (see the European traffic signs
details).You may park for up to 24 hours on roads where parking is free but
restricted by time. You may park free of charge and for up to 24 hours on
roads with parking meters or pay-and-display parking. Do not drive or park in
pedestrian zones unless local concessions specifically allow it. Check
locally. Where this entitlement applies, you are allowed to enter or park only
during specific vehicle access times. These concessions generally apply only
when no other parking is available within a reasonable distance.
Parking in car parks : Some car parks allow vehicles displaying a disabled
person's parking card to be parked free of charge, but only in parking bays
marked for disabled people. Check with car park notices or ask an attendant.
Greece
Greece has introduced the EU parking card, but blind people are not eligible.
Only people having a disability that restricts their mobility can apply.
Conditions and concessions for card-holders
General : On roads and in car parks, parking places reserved for disabled
people are marked with a wheelchair symbol. Do not park there if the space is
marked with a person's name or vehicle registration number. There are no
concessions for street parking or parking in car parks. You may park only
where parking is permitted, and you must pay parking charges and observe time
limits.
Hungary
Hungary has a parking card for disabled people with a white wheelchair on blue
background, however it is not the EU standard parking card.
Iceland
Iceland has introduced the EU parking card. Although officially only people
having a disability that restricts their mobility can apply, in reality some
blind people have been able to receive it. Thus, there is no general rule; the
decision if a blind person is eligible varies from case to case.
Conditions and concessions for card-holders
General: On roads and in car parks, parking places reserved for disabled
people are marked with a wheelchair symbol. Do not park there if the space is
marked with a person's name or vehicle registration number.
Parking on roads : Do not park on roads where waiting is prohibited.
Fees and time limit concessions for vehicles displaying a disabled person's
parking card vary. Check locally. Do not drive or park in pedestrian zones.
Parking in car parks : Car parks do not generally give concessions to
vehicles displaying a disabled person's parking card, although some local
variations may apply. Check locally.
Ireland
Ireland has introduced the EU parking card, and blind people are eligible.
Generally, it is valid for 2 years.
Conditions and concessions for card-holders
General : On roads and in car parks, parking places reserved for disabled
people are marked with a wheelchair symbol.
Parking on roads : Do not park on roads where waiting is prohibited.
Fees and time limit concessions for vehicles displaying a disabled person's
parking card vary. Check locally. Do not drive or park in pedestrian zones.
Parking in car parks : In some car parks, payment concessions are given to
vehicles displaying the disabled person's parking card. Check with car park
notices or ask an attendant.
Italy
Italy has introduced the EU parking card, and blind people are eligible.
Conditions and concessions for card-holders
General : On roads and in car parks, parking places reserved for disabled
people are marked with a wheelchair symbol. Do not park there if the space is
marked with a name or vehicle registration number.
Parking on roads : Do not park on roads where waiting is prohibited unless
signs clearly indicate otherwise. You may park without time limit on roads
where parking is free but restricted by time. You may park free of charge and
without time limit on roads with parking meters or pay-and-display parking. Do
not drive or park in pedestrian zones unless there is a sign showing
exemption. Check locally.
Parking in car parks : One in 50 spaces in public car parks is reserved for
use by vehicles displaying a disabled person's parking card. Vehicles
displaying a parking card may be parked there free of charge. If these spaces
are occupied, vehicles displaying a card may be parked in other spaces free of
charge. In some private car parks, vehicles displaying a parking card may be
parked free of charge, and often for longer periods than other vehicles. Check
locally.
Latvia
The EU parking card has not been introduced.
Lithuania
The EU parking card has not been introduced.
Malta
Malta has introduced the EU parking card, and blind and partially sighted people are eligible.
Netherlands
The Netherlands have introduced the EU parking card and blind and partially
sighted people are eligible. It is tagged with P (for passenger) instead of
the card for people with other disabilities (marked B).
Conditions and concessions for card-holders
General : On roads and in car parks, parking places reserved for disabled
people are marked with a wheelchair symbol. Do not park there if the space is
marked with a name or vehicle registration number.
Parking on roads : You may park for up to 3 hours on roads where waiting is
prohibited (see the European traffic signs details). You must pay to park
where payment is required and you must keep within the time limit. Local
variations may apply, however. Check locally. You may park without time limit
on roads where parking is free but restricted by time. Do not drive or park in
pedestrian zones.
Parking in car parks : Public car parks offer no concessions to vehicles
displaying a disabled person's parking card.
Norway
Norway has introduced the EU parking card, but blind people are not eligible.
Conditions and concessions for card-holders
General : On roads and in car parks, parking places reserved for disabled
people are marked with a wheelchair symbol. Do not park there if the space is
marked with a name or vehicle registration number.
Parking on roads : Do not park on roads where waiting is prohibited.
You may park without time limit on roads where parking is free but restricted
by time, unless a time limit is specified for vehicles displaying the disabled
person's parking card. You may park free of charge and without time limit on
roads with parking meters or pay-and-display parking.
Do not drive or park in pedestrian zones.
Parking in car parks : In many car parks vehicles displaying a disabled
person's parking card are allowed to be parked free of charge and without time
limit, but only in bays reserved for disabled people. Check with car park
notices or ask an attendant.
Poland
Poland introduced the EU parking card in 2004, and blind people are eligible.
Conditions and concessions for card-holders
A disabled person with reduced mobility who drives a car indicated with a
parking card may disobey some traffic signals concerning a ban of movement or
parking. This provision applies also to a person driving a vehicle who carries
a person with reduced mobility, members of a staff of the institutions which
deal with the care, rehabilitation or education of persons with disabilities
being under their care and drivers of vehicles displaying the parking card
issued abroad.
Portugal
Portugal has introduced the EU parking card, but blind people are not
eligible. Only people having a disability that restricts their mobility can
apply.
Conditions and concessions for card-holders
General : On roads and in car parks, parking places reserved for disabled
people are marked with a wheelchair symbol. Do not park there if the space is
marked with a name or vehicle registration number.
Parking on roads : Apart from reserved spaces there are no concessions for
street parking. Do not park on roads where parking is prohibited. You must pay
to park on roads where payment is required and must not exceed the paid-for
time. You must not exceed time limits on roads where time restrictions apply.
Do not drive or park in pedestrian zones.
Parking in car parks : Car parks do not generally offer concessions to
vehicles displaying a disabled person's parking card.
Slovakia
Slovakia has introduced the EU parking card, but blind people are not eligible.
Slovenia
Slovenia has introduced the EU parking card, and blind people are eligible, but partially sighted people aren’t.
Spain
Spain has introduced the EU parking card, but the rules for the card-holder
vary from municipality to municipality : sometimes blind people are eligible
and sometimes they aren’t. For specific information :
http://www.ocu.org/map/src/274312.htm
Conditions and concessions for card-holders
The conditions described here are just to give an idea, as they also vary from
one municipality to another. Check locally.
General : On roads and in car parks, parking places reserved for disabled
people are marked with a wheelchair symbol.
Parking on roads : Do not park on roads where waiting is prohibited unless
local concessions specifically allow it. Check locally. Fees and time limit
concessions for vehicles displaying a disabled person's parking card vary.
Check locally. Do not drive or park in pedestrian zones unless local
concessions specifically allow it. Check locally.
Parking in car parks : In most places car parks offer concessions to
vehicles displaying a disabled person's parking card. Check locally.
Sweden
Sweden has introduced the EU parking card, but blind people are not eligible.
Conditions and concessions for card-holders
General : On roads and in car parks, parking places reserved for disabled
people are marked with a wheelchair symbol.
Parking on roads : You may park for up to 3 hours on roads where waiting is
prohibited (see the European traffic signs details). On roads where parking is
free but restricted by time the following time limits apply to vehicles
displaying a disabled person's parking card : where parking is limited to less
than 3 hours, you may park for up to 3 hours. Where parking is limited to more
than 3 hours, you may park for up to 24 hours. You may be allowed to park free
of charge on roads where payment is normally required for parking. Check
locally. You may drive and park for up to 3 hours in pedestrian zones.
Parking in car parks : Car parks often make concessions to vehicles
displaying a disabled person's parking card. Check locally.
Switzerland
Switzerland has introduced the EU parking card, but blind people are not eligible. Only people having a disability that restricts their mobility can apply.
United Kingdom
The UK has introduced the EU parking card, and blind people are eligible, but
partially sighted people aren’t. The card is restricted to on-street parking,
not to off-street car parks or town centres.
Conditions and concessions for card-holders
General : On roads and in car parks, parking places reserved for disabled
people are marked with a wheelchair symbol. In the United Kingdom the parking
card is used in conjunction with a parking disc. However, people from other
countries who display the disabled person's card without a parking disc will
be given the same concessions.
Parking on roads : You may park for up to 3 hours on roads where waiting is
prohibited unless the signs say "Loading or Unloading" (see the European
traffic signs details). You may park free of charge and without time limit on
roads with parking meters or pay-and-display parking.You may park without time
limit on roads where parking is free but restricted by time. Do not drive or
park in pedestrian zones unless there is a sign showing that vehicles
displaying a disabled person's parking card are exempt.
The scheme does not operate fully in Central London. Check locally in Central
London about concessions.
Parking in car parks : Some car parks allow vehicles displaying a disabled
person's parking card to be parked free of charge. Check with car park notices
or ask an attendant.
Coming Events |
EBU Board
23 October 2007 ANTALYA (Turkey)
Contact : Vaclav Polasek, EBU Secretary General
Email : polasek@sons.cz
8-10 February 2008 UK
Joint meeting of the Board with Commission Chairs/Group Coordinators.
17 – 18 May 2008 The Netherlands
To be confirmed.
19 – 20 September 2008 Rethimnon (Crete)
Contact : Birgitta Blokland, EBU Secretary General
Email : bjb202@hotmail.com
EBU Commissions
12 - 13 October 2007 QAWRA (Malta)
Commission for Liaising with the EU
Contact : Rodolfo Cattani
Email : inter@uiciechi.it
Other organisations
16 – 18 November 2007 MADRID (Spain)
European Disability Forum - CERMI conference on women and disability
The purpose of the conference – which is targeting women and men of the
European Disability Movement – is to promote equality and improve the lives of
girls and women with disabilities in Europe, within the framework of the
European Year of Equal Opportunities for All, in order to mark the tenth
anniversary of the EDF Manifesto by Girls and Women with Disabilities in
Europe.
The participants will actively contribute to achieve the objectives of the
conference, which are :
1. Analyse in depth the key issues affecting girls and women with
disabilities in terms of their full participation as citizens.
2. Raise awareness within the European Disability Forum and its member
organisations of the need to develop specific measures to guarantee equal
opportunities in the involvement of women, thus addressing the risk of
multiple discrimination and exclusion from the movement on the grounds of
gender and disability.
3. Promote equality between men and women by setting up and supporting
women’s committees or groups in national and regional structures of the
European disability movement, thus facilitating dialogue on key issues related
to girls and women with disabilities and mothers of children with
disabilities.
More information :
maria.nyman@edf-feph.org
26 November 2007
BRUSSELS (Belgium)
Social Platform Annual Conference :
“Social NGOs getting ready for the Post Lisbon - Recommendations to address
social and demographic change”
Social and demographic change challenges European leaders and policy-makers to
think long-term. Yet, the Lisbon agenda runs only until 2010. What should be
the post-Lisbon priorities if we really want to achieve a more cohesive and
socially inclusive Europe ? Which commitments and actions do we need to bring
policies closer to reality ?
3 key questions are to be addressed during three panel and interactive
sessions :
- Taking stock of today’s social reality : Is the EU busy with the right
priorities ?
- Europe’s future : Is it all about money ?
- Changing Europe : Stop scaring, start sharing !
Why participate ?
• The Social Platform conference is the first event at European level that
challenges EU policy-makers to think about the post-Lisbon agenda. Among the
speakers invited, European Commission President José Manuel Barroso, Joaquin
Almunia (Commissioner for Economic and Monetary Affairs) and José Vieira Da
Silva, Portuguese Minister of Employment and Social Affairs.
• The conference will also input on the Social Reality Stocktaking, launched
by the Commission at the beginning of 2007.
• Social Platform members will have a unique opportunity to voice their vision
and recommendations to address demographic and social change.
• A conference with three panel-discussions, which aim to be truly
interactive, allowing time for short interventions from the audience.
• The greater the number of participants, the greater the richness of the
debate and the stronger our voice will be in shaping the EU’s post-Lisbon
strategy.
Contact person :
pearly.raynal@socialplatform.org
28 - 29 November 2007 LONDON (UK)
In Touch With Art - An International Conference on Art, Museums and
Visual Impairment
The first collaboration between St Dunstan's, The V&A and Goldsmiths College,
In Touch With Art will investigate methods of teaching art to people with
visual impairment, explore the experiences of practising artists with visual
impairment, and identify how people with visual impairment engage and interact
with visual art in gallery and museum environments.
www.st-dunstans.org.uk
28 January 2008
PARIS (France)
Accessible e-books : an opportunity for the disabled
The conference will be held under the patronage of Nicolas Sarkozy, President of the French Republic, Christine Albanel, Culture and Communication Minister, and Valérie Pécresse, Higher Education and Research Minister.
Programme and registration :
http://inova.snv.jussieu.fr/evenements/colloques/ebooks/Description/index_en.php
25 – 29 March 2008
PONTEVEDRA (Spain)
First International Congress for Blind and Partially Sighted Children
Hosted by the Spanish National Organisation of the Blind (ONCE) and the World
Blind Union Children’s Committee.
Contact person : Ana Pelaez, rrii@once.es
6 - 10 July 2008 MONTREAL (Canada)
9th International Conference on Low Vision
The Conference will feature plenary and concurrent sessions during which
distinguished academics and researchers will present the results of their work
on vision science research, services of rehabilitation and psychosocial
aspects of reintegration.
www.vision2008.ca
25 – 28 August 2008
QUEBEC
(Canada)
21st World Congress Rehabilitation International.
Disability Rights and Social Participation : Ensuring a Society for All
The Congress theme showcases the new United Nations Convention on the Rights
of Persons with Disabilities, which provides the framework for the development
of good policies, actions and projects to drastically improve the living
conditions of hundreds of millions of people worldwide with disabilities.
The RI-Québec 2008 World Congress also presents an opportunity to connect to
more than 1,500 of experts, researchers, disability rights advocates,
government representatives, service providers, civil society leaders during
three days of an extensive program, events and sightseeing tours of beautiful
Québec City. It is a chance to meet exhibitors from around the world
showcasing their brand new products and services.
The RI network, consisting of more than 700 organizations in approximately 100
countries, is a catalyst for developing innovative approaches and providing
solutions. Its mission is to promote social change, inclusion and rights of
people with disabilities.
www.riquebec2008.org or www.riglobal.org
4 – 8 January 2009 PARIS - Unesco (France)
International Conference "200th Anniversary of Louis Braille Birthday"
Braille 1809-2009 : The 6-dot writing system and its future
Call for papers
Themes to be covered are :. The braille system and its applications (music, mathematics, information technology)
. Adapting braille codes and difficulties
. Braille unification : success and obstacles
. Users perspectives over the world : braille in developing countries
. Braille in the daily life
. Information technology and braille displays
. Music (scanning and transcribing scores)
. Cartography and relief drawings
. Braille and games
Send your abstracts (approx 10 lines in French or English) no later than 31 January 2008 to :
Organizing Committee
ch.coudert@avh.asso.fr