2024 is a big year for EBU! We will be holding our twelfth General Assembly, with the theme ‘Engagement, Balance, Unity, Reflecting on 40 Years, Envisioning the Future’ in February, an important gathering for the whole EBU family! Furthermore, it is also our 40th anniversary, the European Blind Union was founded in 1984. Both events are cause for celebration, reflection, and looking both backwards and forwards to determine our future orientation.
This EBU Focus newsletter concentrates on aspects of our members and our sense of community. Times have been tough for everyone over the last few years, with Covid-19, then the war in Ukraine and the impact on inflation which is being felt everywhere. Within EBU too, there were difficult times, as during this work period we sadly lost our Secretary General, Maria Kyriacou, our Russian Board member, Alexander Neumyvakin, and of course our President, Rodolfo Cattani.
Such losses are unprecedented in the history of EBU, and we take a moment to remember those who are no longer with us and thank those Board members who stepped up to replace their colleagues.
Looking to the future, a period of renewal is called for; EBU needs an input of new personalities and ideas. You will see in this newsletter that we are seeking to engage with all our members, and urge them to play an important role in the future of EBU by nominating candidates for Board positions and engaging in the General Assembly as actively as possible.
The U in EBU is YOU, the Union, our members!
This newsletter includes a presentation by our President, Wolfgang Angermann looking to the future of EBU, a piece by Valérie Vivancos, on her work as newly appointed membership officer, an analysis of the views of life interviews with our members, presented by our Communication Officer Nacho Lopez, and an example of good practice being developed by our Irish member, NCBI, which members of the Secretariat team were able to visit during a visit to Dublin earlier this year.
We hope all our members will enjoy reading these articles and be motivated to participate fully. And we hope it provides an insight into EBU for all our followers and supporters.