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News:
The Story Behind the Movie!
(21 October 2005)
 The Confederación Estatal de Personas Sordas or the Spain National Confederation of the Deaf (CNSE) showed a brief animated videoclip of three Deaf children to the participants in the 2003 World Federation of the Deaf (WFD) Congress. The children encouraged everyone to come and visit Spain in 007 where the next WFD Congress will be held. The clip was an instant hit and people have been raving about it. Here is the story behind this movie.
The original film was Peter's Dream (El Sueño de Pedro), an audiovisual adaptation of the printed tale Peter’s Voice. It took many years to prepare the project and search for funds. Then the film was produced in 2002 after about a year of work. A multidisciplinary team of Deaf and hearing people who were working for Fundación FESORD CV developed it. Thus, even though the CNSE did not play a direct role in its production, FESORD (Federation of Deaf People Associations in the Valencian Community) is a member of the CNSE. CNSE then requested FESORD CV to prepare a promotional video for Montreal, including some characters from Peter's Dreams.
The Calendar section of this website also includes more information on the 2007 Congress, in Madrid, Spain. A call for papers will be issued soon.
Powerpoint presentation from 2005 conference of the International Congress on Education of the Deaf in Maastricht
 WFD put together a panel presentation on Bi/MultiLingual Human Rights and Quality Education at the July 2005 conference of the International Congress on Education of the Deaf in Maastricht, the Netherlands. The presenters were WFD Experts in Education: Corrie Tijessling (NL) , WFD Education Expert Coordinator; Dr. Jay Innes (USA), Director of the Gallaudet Leadership Institute; and Dr. Roz Rosen (USA), WFD International Officer. WFD President Markku Jokinen (FI) also contributed to the development of the presentation but could not be present. For more information on this presentation, please view the powerpoint presentation. Watch this website for further updates on the ICED conference.
International Conference of the World Federation of the Deaf (WFD)
Helsinki, Finland
September 30 – October 1, 2005
The World Federation of the Deaf invites all its member organizations, regional secretariats, international organizations of persons with disabilities, and other co-operation partners, and all others interested in human rights to participate in the International Conference of the WFD with a theme “Our Rights – Our Future”.
More information available at www.wfdhelsinki2005.org
Confirmed presenters include:
Thorsten Afflerbach (Administrative Officer, Directorate of Social and Economic Affairs, Council of Europe, ): Protection and Promotion of Sign Languages and the Rights of their
Users in Europe: Activities of the Council of Europe.
Hissa Al-Thani (Special Rapporteur on Disability, United Nations): Standard Rules, Human Rights instruments and Convention of Disability Rights.
Theresia Degener (Professor, Universityof Applied Sciences, Germany): A Human Rights Convention for all PWD:
Challenges and Potentials.
Jean-Pierre Gonnot (Chief, Inclusive Development Section, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, UN): title to be announced
Markku Jokinen (President, WFD): Perspectives of the World Federation of the Deaf on Standard Rules, Disability Convention and other Human Rights Instruments.
Wilma Newhoudt-Druchen (Member of the Parliament of South Africa): Global rights of Deaf people and people with disabilities and how we implement our rights.
Gerard Quinn (Professor, National University of Ireland): title to be announced.
Markku Jokinen Carol-lee
Aquiline Liisa Kauppinen
President General
Secretary President Emerita
Aira Raudasoja (Ms)
Congress Manager
aira@congcreator.com
tel +358 (0)9 4542 190
fax +358 (0)9 4542 1930
CongCreator CC Oy
www.congcreator.com
mailing address:
PO Box 762, FI-00101 Helsinki, Finland
street address:
Apollonkatu 5 B 5th floor
FI-00100 Helsinki, Finland
WFD President Markku Jokinen Keynotes at the International Symposium on Instructional Technology and Education of the Deaf, Rochester NY, USA
The National Technical Institute for the Deaf (NTID) co-hosted, with The Nippon Foundation of Japan and PEN-International, an international symposium entitled "Instructional Technology and Education of the Deaf: Supporting Learners, K-College" 27 June - 1 July, 2005, on the campus of the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) in Rochester, New York, USA. The primary goal of the Symposium was to provide a forum, for educators supporting deaf and hard-of-hearing students, to disseminate information about current and future innovations and developments in the use of educational media and technology for teaching and learning.
A total of 230 teachers, administrators, and technologists representing 17 countries attended the Symposium. The Symposium consisted of 2 plenary addresses, 44 concurrent presentations, 24 poster sessions, and 8 commercial exhibits. In addition, 10 post-symposium workshops were offered to provide participants with a hands-on opportunity to develop skills in the application of instructional technologies.
Dr. Judith E. Heumann, Advisor, Disability and Development at The World Bank served as the opening speaker of the Symposium: her topic was "Recognizing Technological Advances Benefiting Individuals with Disabilities and Acting as Agents for Change." On Wednesday morning, June 29, 2005, Markku Jokinen, President of the World Federation of the Deaf, addressed the Symposium as the concluding plenary speaker, "Positioning Ourselves for the Impact of Instructional Technology: 2005 and Beyond."
The 6 workshop presentations that were rated most favorably included Clark Denmark's lecture "BSL Tuition in the Hands of Deaf People - a BSL Academy"
The NTID-based Symposium is offered on a periodical basis and chaired by Dr. E. William Clymer, who is also the Coordinator of the Postsecondary Education Network International.
For more information on this symposium and photos, please visit http://www.rit.edu/~techsym.
Announcement from WFD President Markku Jokinen Update on the Secretariat of the World Federation of the Deaf (WFD) (15 July 2005)
Greetings:
I announced recently that Ms. Carol-lee Aquiline has resigned from the position of the WFD General Secretary and that the WFD Board would use this opportunity to do an in depth review and restructuring of the WFD in order to improve its operations and resources.
I am pleased to announce that the Board and I have developed an interim management plan for the WFD Secretariat, dividing responsibilities and utilizing a team of 4 highly capable, experienced volunteers.
With myself as the chief administrator for WFD, Dr. Liisa Kauppinen, WFD President Emerita and General Secretary of the Finnish Association of the Deaf (FAD), will coordinate the internal management and communications of the WFD Secretariat and work with the ad hoc UN Disability Convention on Human Rights of People with Disabilities. The WFD Secretariat will remain in the FAD headquarters in Helsinki.
Mr. Knud Søndergaard, recently retired President of the Danske Døves Landsforbund (Danish Deaf Association), will function as the WFD Administration Officer. As the Administration Officer, Mr. Søndergaard will manage the WFD financial information system, including budget preparation and reports; communicate with Ordinary Members, Regional Secretariats and others; prepare Members Circulars with the team; organize and attend Board meetings; serve as the liaison between WFD and Chair of the XV WFD Congress (2007) in Spain; liaise between WFD and the WFD Youth Section; and assist with fundraising and other duties as assigned. He will maintain his office in Denmark.
Dr. Roz Rosen, WFD Honorary Board Member and International Consultant with the Communication Services for the Deaf (CSD), will serve as the WFD International Officer. She will be responsible for programs and policy formulation, represent WFD in communications and international meetings with DPOs and governments, the UN and its agencies such as the Ad Hoc Committee on the Disability Convention, ECOSOC, UNESCO Flagship on Education for All, International Disability Alliance (IDA), and the World Bank's Global Partnership on Disability and Development; coordinate communications and recommendations with the WFD Expert Coordinators; collaborate with WFD officers in updating and maintaining the WFD website; prepare progress reports for and attend Board meetings; and assist with fundraising and other duties as assigned. She will maintain her office in the United States of America.
In addition, Phillipa Sandholm, a salaried employee of FAD, will continue to serve as the WFD Administrative Secretary in the WFD Secretariat. She will assist the team in handling emails, letters and general correspondence, memberships (including fees and databases), office operations, file receipts and reports, assist with research and information compilation, and related office functions. A President's Assistant will be hired soon to assist with correspondence, schedules, translations and President's travels.
I am grateful to Liisa, Knud, Roz and the WFD Board for sharing their commitment, expertise and enthusiasm, on the behalf of the World Federation of the Deaf. WFD will emerge stronger as a result.
Please check the WFD website at www.wfdeaf.org for more information about the WFD. Your comments and inquiries are welcomed: wfdsecretariat@wfdeaf.org. WFD needs and appreciates your continued support.
Markku Jokinen, President
World Federation of the Deaf
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Letter to WFD members and Deaf Community from WFD President (1 June 2005)
Dear Friends and Colleagues: 
I announce, with regrets, the resignation of Ms. Carol-lee Aquiline as the General Secretary of the World Federation of the Deaf (WFD), effective 31 May 2005. Ms. Aquiline resigned due to her health and her desire to take a different path through her life. She was WFD's first full time paid General Secretary, and has served capably in this position since September 1996.
Ms.Aquiline informed the Board at its meeting last March that she wished to take a break from WFD work. The heavy workload, and lack of resources and personnel to accomplish this work, has begun to affect her health. She felt this would also give the Board an opportunity to review the WFD structure and finances and to make decisions about the future of WFD.
The WFD Board has taken this opportunity to form an Organisational Review Group (ORG), which will review the structure and operations of WFD. Also, part of the ORG charge will be to make recommendations to the full WFD Board about the staffing needs, capabilities, and resource development possibilities for the WFD.
WFD will continue to operate while the Board considers both short term and long term strategic plans. As decisions are made, members will be kept informed.
The Board thanks Ms Aquiline for her work in past years, and wishes her the very best.
Regards,
Markku Jokinen
President,
World Federation of the Deaf
XV World Congress of the WFD (13-22 July 2007) in Madrid, Spain (1 June 2005)
WFD is pleased to announce that the official dates for the XV
World Congress of the WFD, in Madrid, Spain, are 13-22 July
2007, in Madrid, Spain. WFD World Congresses include
many different programmes, ranging from scholarly
presentations, special interest discussion groups, workshops
and training, cultural and theatre presentations, exhibits and
related events, for people of all ages from all over the
world. The General Assembly is composed of delegates
from the 127 WFD member countries who discuss and
determine future directions and policy concepts for WFD.
| DATE |
EVENT |
| 13 July 2007 |
General Assembly (GA) Workshop (to prepare for the GA) |
| 14-15 July 2007 |
General Assembly (GA) |
| 16 July 2007 |
Congress Opening Ceremony |
| 16-21 July 2007 |
Commissions, Special Interest Groups, Theatre, etc |
| 22 July 2007 |
Closing Ceremony, Gala |
Additionally, the following Commissions will conduct sessions.
· Commission on Human Rights: Linguistic & Cultural Rights
· Commission on Sign Languages
· Commission on Education
· Commission on Developing Countries
· Commission on Medicine, Biotechnology and Bioethics
· Commission on Mental Health
· Commission on Technology & Accessibility
· Commission on Women
Planning is proceeding smoothly, and the Board thanks the
Spanish Organising Committee for its hard work on this
important event. Announcement regarding call for papers will
be forthcoming. More details about the programme, Special
Interest Groups, fees, submission of abstracts, Youth
programmes, and so forth will be disseminated as soon as
they are released. Please visit this website for updates.
CSD Supports WFD Website
WFD is pleased to announce that agreement has been reached with Communication Service for the Deaf, Inc., (CSD) to partner on developing and maintaining the new WFD website.
CSD is supporting WFD’s mission to promote the interests of Deaf people all over the world by assisting with the development of the WFD website. WFD is responsible for the content of such website. Both organisations are enthusiastic about the opportunity to work together toward their common missions.
CSD was established in 1975 and today employs over 3,000 individuals in 42 locations across the United States of America, providing a broad continuum of social and human services programmes, as well as telecommunications relay services. CSD is a nonprofit corporation dedicated to providing quality services, ensuring public accessibility and increasing awareness of issues affecting Deaf, hard of hearing and individuals with speech disabilities. |
