EBU is pleased to announce the winners of the Arne HUSVEG Award 2017. The Arne HUSVEG Award was established by the EBU Board to honour persons who have distinguished themselves working for EBU in the past. It will be bestowed on the occasion of the meeting of the EBU Board to be held in Cyprus on 21/22 October 2017.
The Award consists of a gold medal, featuring Arne Husveg's profile and EBU logo with the words "Arne Husveg Award" and "He showed the path to full social inclusion".
The winners for 2017 are Birgitta Blockland and Tommaso Daniele.
Birgitta Blockland was EBU General Secretary from 2007-2011. She has until recently coordinated a number of projects and activities on low vision, including the development of the EBU "Minimal standards for low vision services in Europe" in 2014. Throughout this 20 year period Birgitta has demonstrated her tireless commitment to, and never-ending involvement in EBU’s work. In particular, Birgitta has focussed her efforts on the rights of blind and partially sighted women and of persons with Low Vision.
Birgitta is also a painter, and therefore takes particular interest in the accessibility of the visual arts.
Tommaso Daniele was EBU Second Vice-President from 1999 to 2013, and prior to this held various positions within the EBU network. He took the lead on a wide range of activities, including the monitoring of the implementation of the European Social Charter from a disability perspective. Tommasso also represented EBU on the Conference of International Non-Governmental Organisations in the Council of Europe from 1999 to 2013.
Tommaso has always been extremely active within the Italian Union of the Blind and Partially Sighted of which he was President for many years. He was instrumental in the building of a unified disability movement in Italy, with the establishment of FID (Italian Disability Forum) that he chaired from its foundation until 2013.
Tommaso worked relentlessly to promote braille. He was the driving force behind the founding of the Italian Braille Club that was one of the financial supporters of the Louis Braille Museum in Coupvray.
These brief biographies are but a glimpse of the multiple activities and engagements of our two winners, who we are proud and honoured to recognise with our Arne Husveg Award. EBU takes this opportunity to thank most sincerely both recipients for their dedication, which has contributed to making EBU the strong and recognised organisation that it is today.