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Table of contents :
EBU 8th General Assembly and Equality and Diversity Forum
EBU presents its Vision for Equality Award
EBU announces winners of the ONKYO braille contest
Resolutions adopted at the EBU 8th General Assembly
[ The opinions expressed in this Newsletter are those of the writers and do not necessarily reflect the views of the EBU. ]EBU 8th General Assembly and Equality and Diversity Forum
EBU held its 8th General Assembly in Antalya, Turkey, from 24 to 26 October
2007. This was preceded by an Equality and Diversity Forum on 22-23 October.
The Turkish Federation of the Blind proved a perfect host for the 280
participants from 40 (out of the 45) EBU national member countries present.
The Dedeman Hotel, with all its conveniences, friendly staff and good
organisation, offered excellent working conditions for both events. During
breaks participants had the opportunity to visit the technical exhibition
where companies from all over the world presented the newest technical aids
and assistive technologies for blind and partially sighted people.
The Forum consisted in common sessions with presentations and parallel
working sessions for the different strands (women, youth, elderly) where
ways and means to raise awareness and overcome diversity barriers for a just
society were looked at and discussed. These sessions included workshops,
role plays and reports. The presentations by guest speakers provided useful
practical information about the different aspects of diversity.
In this year’s assembly, the 116 delegates particularly appreciated the new
concept of workshop sessions. The idea was to draw on delegates' expertise
and enable them to contribute more fully to discussions at the General
Assembly and influence EBU's policy and plans. There were two sets of
workshops when delegates divided up into smaller groups for more detailed
discussion. The first on Day 1 was meant to enable delegates to discuss the
Board's Report on the last four years and the Draft Strategic Plan for the
next work period, and the second on Day 3 to contribute to EBU's strategy
for effective implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights
of Persons with Disabilities for the benefit of blind and partially sighted
people.
Results from the parallel running workshops were reported and discussed in
plenary sessions. Delegates were very pleased with this new working
arrangement and found it very efficient.
The General Assembly passed a constitutional amendment to the effect that
the number of ordinary members of the Board was raised from 6 to 8.
Elections were held to form a new Board of 13 members and brought the first
woman as Secretary General in the history of EBU, Ms. Birgitta Blokland !
See election results on page 3.
Finally, the GA closing banquet provided an ideal setting for awarding the
Vision for Equality and the ONKYO Braille Contest prizes. Winners were
warmly congratulated by Lord Colin Low, President-elect.
Enjoy your reading !
Please feel free to send your comments on the Newsletter contents to
ebuoffice@euroblind.org
Election results |
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EBU Board
Officers
Elected unopposed (by acclaim) :
President : Lord Colin Low (United Kingdom)
First Vice-President : Mr. Alexander Neumyvakin (Russia)
Second Vice-President : Mr. Tommaso Daniele (Italy)
Treasurer : Mr. Julien Aimi (France)
There were two candidates for the office of Secretary General. Birgitta
Blokland (The Netherlands) was elected with 126 votes.
Ordinary members
Elected (by secret ballot) :
1. Ms. Unn Ljøner Hagen (Norway) : 192 votes
2. Mr. Wolfgang Angermann (Germany) : 174
3. Ms. Sigrun Bessadottir (Finland) : 170
4. Mr. Vaclav Polasek (Czech Republic) : 163
5. Mr. Rafael González Millán (Spain) : 162
6. Mr. Yannis Vardakastanis (Greece) : 141
7. Mr. Emin Demirci (Turkey) : 126
8. Mr. Sinan Tafaj (Albania) : 118
EBU Nominations Committee
Elected unopposed :
Mr. Branislav Mamojka, Chairman (Slovak republic)
Ms. Lesley-Anne Alexander (United Kingdom)
Ms. Barbara Martin Muñoz (Spain)
Ms. Kicki Nordstrom (Sweden)
Mr. Rudolf Volejnik (Czech Republic)
EBU representatives to WBU Executive Committee
The President, Lord Colin Low, is an ex-officio member of the WBU
Executive Committee.
Elected unopposed :
Ms. Birgitta Blokland
Mr. Alexander Neumyvakin
Mr. Yannis Vardakastanis
EBU presents its Vision for Equality Award
Vision for Equality is an award instituted by the European Blind Union (EBU) to recognise outstanding contributions by individuals or organisations to the promotion of greater equality in society. This award, consisting of a piece of art by a visually impaired artist was presented for the first time on 27 October 2007 on the occasion of the banquet closing the 8th EBU General Assembly (Antalya, Turkey, 24-26 October).This year’s award came in two classes to distinguish outstanding work towards equal opportunities for visually impaired women and for persons with low vision.
In the gender equality class, the award was presented to a German organization, Paritätische Thüringen, in recognition of its commitment to and work for the promotion of equal opportunities for women.
The low vision class of the award was given to Dr. Claude Chambet, President of the CNPSAA (national committee for the social promotion of the blind and partially sighted people in France) for her long and outstanding work towards the recognition of the partially sighted as a group with an identity and needs of their own.
Lord Colin Low, President of EBU, expressed his warmest congratulations to both winners. He pointed out that from EBU's point of view the awards could not have got off to a better start, setting a very high standard for the future.
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EBU announces winners of the ONKYO Braille Contest
On the occasion of the banquet closing its 8th General Assembly (24-26
October, Antalya, Turkey), the European Blind Union (EBU) announced the
winners of the Onkyo Braille Contest.
The Onkyo Braille Contest is a worldwide initiative planned and sponsored by
Onkyo and Mainichi, two Japanese concerns actively engaged in the promotion
of Braille. The European strand of this contest was launched by EBU on 4
January to mark Louis Braille’s Day instituted by the World Blind Union. EBU
was also responsible for processing the essays from all around Europe and
translating them into English before selecting the winners.
The theme of the contest was Braille literacy changes my way of life.
Through personal experience, applicants were to tell how braille empowers
them and improves their lives.
The ONKYO Braille Essay Contest raised high interest among the blind
population in Europe. There were altogether more than 130 entries from 19
countries. 61 had been pre-selected. The jury panel found it extremely
difficult to make its final decision in view of the excellent quality of the
essays.
The seven winners are
- Milan Djuric, Serbia
Ootsuki First Prize
- Marco Aurélio Maltez Branco, Portugal
Excellent Works Prize
- Jarmila Hochsteigerova, Czech Republic
Excellent Works Prize
- Mirjam Liivak, Estonia
Fine Works Prize
- Federica Gallo, Italy
Fine Works Prize
- Dzintra Zuravska, Latvia
Fine Works Prize
- Isabel de los Ángeles López-Valdivieso
Fine Works Prize
Rodríguez, Spain
Braille remains essential – and there is no substitute – for anyone wanting
to have direct personal and detailed contact with a text. As Colin Low,
President of EBU, put it, « if you wish to advance the standard and quality
of life for blind people, give a high priority to braille, to its promotion,
to its production and to teaching it. Braille is nothing less than the key
to liberation for blind people. »
Resolutions adopted at the EBU 8th General Assembly - Antalya (Turkey), October 24-26, 2007
The texts actually adopted at Antalya have been paraphrased, for stylistic and other reasons.
2007-1. The right to access to books in their unabridged form
Background
In the European national context, visually impaired people are often offered
certain books in alternative format only in their abridged version.
It is apparent that people with a visual impairment have access to books in
suitable formats such as recorded and in braille, to a significantly smaller
extent and generally at a much higher price compared with sighted persons.
The 8th General Assembly of the European Blind Union, convened in Antalya,
Turkey, on 24-26 October 2007, resolves that
visually impaired people have the right to read all works transcribed into
any format which is accessible to them in their entirety,
and therefore the Assembly
calls for action by the EBU Board (together with the appropriate thematic
body as well as national organizations of the blind) aimed at authors' and
publishers' associations at European and national level to convince them to
apply at least the same copyright exceptions given to public libraries, to
the centres for the production and distribution of books for the blind, the
partially sighted and other persons with a reading difficulty. Every effort
should also be made towards achieving equality with regard to availability
and pricing of books in relevant accessible formats.
The General Assembly furthermore urges associations of the blind and
partially sighted within Europe to be on the lookout for the appropriate
application of the principles of the EU Copyright Directive and to keep
themselves updated on national legislation that incorporates it, asking for
severe sanctions in case of non compliance.
2007-2. The EBU to be active in promoting the implementation and enforcement
of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
Background
One of the most significant achievements by the disability movement on the
international scene is the adoption of the UN Convention on the Rights of
Persons with Disabilities.
However, from adoption at UN level there is much to be done before the
Convention can ensure progress and compel enforcement so as to improve the
situation of and opportunities for persons with disabilities in
industrialized as well as in developing countries.
The Convention has to be signed by a number of countries, a first step which
has taken place to a large degree.
Countries have to adapt, change and modify their legislation, practice,
administrative rules and bodies in order to prepare the ground for the
ratification which, from the perspective of the individual with a
disability, is the decisive step towards true implementation of the
principles contained in the UN Convention.
Ratification should then take place, preferably by more than the minimum
number of twenty states, so as to bring the Convention into force and,
finally the Optional Protocol giving individual citizens a right to complain
to the monitoring body must also be adopted and ratified. This last step is
necessary to ensure that individuals and their organizations may file
complaints if the human rights of persons with disabilities are violated,
and it is also of paramount importance to ensure that the Convention is
observed internationally and that the principles and intentions of the UN
Convention are carried out at national level.
With this complicated, lengthy but important process in mind, the 8th
General Assembly of the European Blind Union, convened in Antalya, Turkey,
on 24-26 October 2007, resolves that
- European countries and the European Union should take the initiative and
be an example to others by adopting all necessary measures to implement the
UN Convention and to make the rules operational in as many European
countries as possible ;
- the EBU Board ensures that a conference be held midway through the term to
review progress and to serve as an opportunity to exchange experiences of
implementing the intentions and principles of the UN Convention ;
- the EBU Board makes it a priority to assist in preparing and publishing to
all EBU members written material informing them about the Convention which
may serve as a basis for training and educational activities so that members
will be able to promote and lobby for the national ratification and
implementation of the UN Convention and
- the EBU through its relevant political and other influential bodies will
use its best endeavours to ensure that the Convention is treated and
promoted like all other UN Human Rights instruments as regards its
geographical extent and its conceptual interpretation including the
establishment of administrative and monitoring measures.
2007-3. Improved representation and diversity in national delegations, etc.
Background
At General Assemblies of the EBU since 1987, resolutions have repeatedly
highlighted the importance, benefits and the sensible use of resources
achieved by ensuring gender-balance in national delegations and an increased
presence of visually impaired women in Commissions and in the EBU governing
bodies. With the indisputable fact in mind that the EBU is composed of
national and other members, is financed through and finds its resources from
within the national blind movements, the desired changes at EBU level must
first begin as national initiatives.
The continuous respect for, functioning and strengthening of, EBU is closely
geared to respect for the sovereignty of its national members. It is
therefore necessary to find methods to achieve the desired goal of
accelerating gender balance without violating the sense of ownership by
national members and national self-determination. Strong sanctions may be
counter-productive.
The need to improve gender balance is, as stated, of paramount importance, a
goal characteristic of a contemporary, modern international body.
Key words in today's discourse are : Equal opportunities, equality and
equity, networking and participation based on interchange and dialogue.
Those principles should be determinative in attaining the above goals.
Based on existing network initiatives and the trend, although too slow,
towards a gender balanced EBU, it is resolved that the 8th General Assembly
of the European Blind Union, convened in Antalya, Turkey, on 24-26 October
2007,
charges the Board to ensure that
1. a formal network of women within EBU be established,
2. a woman member of the EBU Board be appointed to formally link up with the
network,
3. 3-5 other active women are appointed to form a steering committee to
support and coordinate the network,
4. one woman from each member country be appointed to maintain and safeguard
national influence and to receive information from the work of EBU,
5. the steering committee has the right to contact other commissions and
working groups within EBU, to promote their gender work and bring back
information to the network.
6. Furthermore, the Board may consider how a subsidy policy be developed
that could favour gender-balanced national delegations and, moreover, how
best practice initiatives in specific countries have led to improved
representation at international meetings.
2007-4. The right to learn braille
Education of blind children is an issue which enjoys very high priority. The
cultural emancipation of the blind worldwide has been made possible by the
revolutionary invention of the braille writing and reading system. The
introduction of computers and speech synthesizers is bringing about dramatic
changes in the upbringing and education of students with a visual
impairment.
In some countries important events were arranged to commemorate, in 2002,
150 years since the death of Louis Braille. Moreover, it is noted with
excitement that numerous events are being planned for the commemoration and
celebration of the bicentenary of the birth of Louis Braille in 2009.
Finally, competitions like the Onkyo braille contest are considered an
excellent way to promote braille and highlight the many personal reasons for
guarding, using and promoting braille.
With this in mind, the 8th General Assembly of the European Blind Union,
convened in Antalya, Turkey, on 24-26 October 2007, resolves that
the EBU Board together with the Commission dealing with educational matters
should be charged with developing a concrete work plan and promotion
material, the release of which should coincide with the celebration taking
place in 2009. This plan and the proposed material should highlight and make
recommendations aimed at ensuring that the following requirements are in
place in all EBU member countries :
1. Acceptance that correct and thorough knowledge of the braille reading and
writing system is an important foundation for the independence and freedom
of all persons who are blind or severely partially sighted, that is, whose
residual sight does not enable them to read.
2. To ensure that blind persons have at their disposal appropriate braille
training material and proficient braille instructors who, free of charge,
can offer training on various levels.
3. All people with a severe visual impairment have the right to learn
braille and use it, whether embossed on paper or made available in
conjunction with modern ICT technology.
4. The above EBU bodies as well as the Technology Working Group and the
Liaising Commission should be aware of the potential promotion of braille on
pharmaceutical products and other consumer product packaging as a useful
opportunity and a good reason to become acquainted with and even conversant
with braille.
2007-5. Inter-generational and gender cohesion
As society has changed, and the extended family is no longer the norm in
most European societies, there are strong reasons to believe that the
interaction between the young and the elderly has decreased.
Many elderly people feel that there are aspects of society which put
participating in it out of their reach due to such things as the increasing
dependency on high-technology, and the vast youth culture that shapes the
young in ways difficult to grasp if you are not a part of it.
At the same time, the EBU and the national organizations must appreciate the
knowledge and experience that elderly blind and partially sighted people can
contribute.
Many young people find that they cannot make their voices heard due to a
lack of knowledge and experience of the decision-making processes of
society, or they feel uncertain about how to approach the labour-market,
which education they should choose or how they can manage a family as
visually impaired persons.
At the same time all organizations must face the fact that its young
members, when properly trained, are needed as a future natural replacement.
They can offer inspiration and act as an asset towards innovation and
creativity.
These problems can be combated and potentials be utilized through an
increase in contact between people of both sexes and of different ages.
Consequently, EBU urges its member organizations to do their utmost to
create accessible venues that accommodate people of all ages regardless of
sex. Mentor programs, joint workshops and champions for youth and the
elderly should also be appointed.
Ensuring that different age-groups are represented in official bodies of the
organization makes greater diversity, and diversity is the fuel of dynamics.
With the above in mind, and in the spirit of diversity, the 8th General
Assembly of the European Blind Union, convened in Antalya, Turkey, on 24-26
October 2007, resolves that
the EBU urges all member organizations to :
- Incorporate the perspectives of life-long learning and inter-generational
cohesion into all activities ;
- Work towards age- and gender balance within official bodies ;
- Set up mentor programs, inter-generational workshops that entail training
and debate, and generally work towards establishing venues where people of
different ages and both sexes meet and exchange experiences.
Likewise the EBU Board is charged with ensuring that an equality and
diversity forum will precede the 9th General Assembly so that a specific
focus can be given to the needs, challenges and strengths stemming from the
young and the elderly sections of the blind movement as well as the
necessary and indisputable need for equal participation and opportunities
between the sexes.
2007-6. EBU focus on blind and partially sighted children
Children are the building bricks of tomorrow in our society and in our
organizational work.
Children are entitled to enjoy a special place in the work of international
organizations and in human rights instruments such as the UN Convention on
the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and, likewise, within the blind
movement itself through the WBU Children's Committee. It should also be
recalled that, in the Millennium Goals, a commitment has been made to
achieve a substantial increase in the provision of basic primary education.
This goal is directly targeted at children and aims at increasing their
opportunities and improving their chances of enjoying prosperity in adult
life. This goal should benefit all children, including children with
disabilities, and, more specifically, visually impaired children.
In the European environment, today, those speaking on behalf of children
with a visual impairment are their parents, and those active within the
professional environment are teachers, represented through ICEVI,
pedagogues, developers of technology and other professionals. Children
cannot speak for themselves.
The challenges, needs and other issues relating to children with visual
impairment have not so far enjoyed vast attention within the EBU, although
bodies dealing with education and rehabilitation have at times offered some
attention.
The 8th General Assembly of the European Blind Union, convened in Antalya,
Turkey, on 24-26 October 2007, resolves the following in order to introduce
change and proactive development within this field :
1. For the Board together with the Commission on Culture and Education, to
develop a plan on how and when to embark on this new policy area. The plan
should also indicate how to generate necessary resources. It should be
considered how children's issues could become a cross-cutting issue which in
the future could be dealt with by all relevant EBU bodies.
2. In due course establish co-operation with ICEVI with the view to develop
a framework and necessary instruction toolkits for organizations of the
blind in countries where mainstream (inclusive) education of the blind is
non-existent or only exists to a small extent.
3. In close co-operation with ICEVI Europe, to identify ways and means of
establishing a comprehensive mapping exercise and, if deemed necessary,
research to establish reliable information about visually impaired
children's needs and the status of the respect for their fundamental rights
in all relevant areas, from early intervention until the end of their formal
education.
4. Initiate specific activities aimed at developing, emancipating and
empowering children and youth, be it in camps, through excursions or in
other ways that create independence and a framework for excitement. The
Children's World Congress arranged by the WBU in collaboration with ONCE,
Spain is a good example which could serve as inspiration for further similar
events.
5. The Board is charged with submitting to the 9th General Assembly a report
on the accomplishments so far and recommendations for future action.
2007-7. Vote of thanks and appreciation
The General Assembly of the EBU is considered the prime and most important
event when it comes to meetings, exchange of political points of view,
developing strong and powerful policies, making friends, networking,
electing leaders and bringing together all EBU's available resources with
the explicit intention of improving organizational capacity across Europe as
well as the lives of visually impaired citizens throughout the union.
Our Turkish host, the Turkish Federation of the Blind (TFB), has, without
sparing any effort, throughout the past two years utilized enormous
resources to plan, organise and now implement the event in which we have all
taken part.
The 8th General Assembly of the European Blind Union, convened in Antalya,
Turkey, on 24-26 October 2007, resolves that
it be put on record that the Union itself, all participants, delegates,
observers and guides, express their deepest and most heart-felt thanks to
the host, TFB, for the excellent work that has led to this successfully
arranged and conducted Assembly. Everybody involved, the Planning Committee,
the organization, including its leadership under the able chair of Hasan
Tatar, having generously offered financial and manpower resources,
coordination and auxiliary staff, guides, interpreters and volunteers, did
their utmost to create an outstanding framework for the Assembly.
A word of appreciation is also extended to Turkey's publicity fund under the
Prime Minister's office for financial support as well as the EU
representation in Ankara, who supported the youth project financially, the
Turkish Republic Cooperation Agency which supported the air travel for
delegates from 6 less wealthy countries, Marinal Transport Administration of
the Istanbul Municipality who provided the gifts in the delegates' bags.
Finally a word of thanks to the Governor and Mayor of Antalya who arranged
for transport and other important services.
The staff and management at the Dedeman Hotel made our stay most enjoyable
and rendered excellent, friendly service at all times.
The Assembly furthermore wishes to acknowledge and pay tribute to the
dedicated work carried out over the past four years by the leadership of EBU
:
President, Lord Colin Low
First Vice-president, Mr. Alexandre Neumyvakin
Second Vice-President, Prof. Tommaso Daniele
Secretary General, Mr. Vaclav Polasek
Treasurer, Mr. Julien Aimi
Board members :
Xavier Grau Sabaté
Birgitta Blokland
Wolfgang Angermann
Ann-Christin Fast
Vassil Dolaptschiev
Yannis Vardakastanis
and Chairpersons of all Commissions, Committees and Working Groups.
Coming Events |
EBU Board
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
Other organisations
28 January 2008
PARIS (France)
Second European eAccessibility Forum - 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 Pecresse, Higher Education and Research
Minister.
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
25 – 30 April 2008
ZAGREB
(Croatia)
6th EBU Deafblind Conference and Second European Deafblind Blind Union
General Assembly
Contact : Tajana Tarczay, project coordinator,
edbu2007@dodir.hr
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