WBU E-BULLETINVOLUME 9, ISSUE 1February 2014

CONTACT US AT:World Blind Union1929 Bayview AvenueToronto, Ontario, Canada M4G 3E8Telephone: 1-416-486-9698Fax: 1-416-486-8107Email: info@wbuoffice.orgWebsite: www.worldblindunion.orgTwitter: @BlindUnion

TABLE OF CONTENTS

CONTRIBUTIONS OF NEWS TO THE E-BULLETIN...................................1PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE.......................................................................1WBU LETTER TO ALL GOVERNMENTS...................................................2FEATURED ARTICLE..............................................................................3

IN MEMORIAM: REMEMBERING ABRAHAM NEMETH..........................4UPDATES FROM AROUND THE WORLD.................................................6

FIRST BLIND MALAYSIAN TO ACQUIRE A GUIDE DOG........................6UPDATES FROM WORKING GROUPS.....................................................7

WBU’S PROGRESS TO IMPLEMENT CRPD INTO DAY-TO-DAY LIFE.......8UPDATE ON UNITED NATIONS SILENT VEHICLE REGULATION............9WBU WILL HAVE A VERY “VISUAL” PRESENCE AT THE LOW VISION CONFERENCE IN MELBOURNE THIS APRIL..................10

ANNOUNCEMENTS.............................................................................13

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UN SEVENTH CONFERENCE OF STATES PARTIES TO THE CRPD.......13WBU SCHOLARSHIPS......................................................................13BARBARA MARJERAM BRAILLE LITERACY SCHOLARSHIP FOR BLIND WOMAN & GIRLS FROM DEVELOPING COUNTRIES...............14GERALD DIRKS SCHOLARSHIP FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF BRAILLE LITERACY.....................................................................14WORLD GLAUCOMA WEEK MARCH 9–15.........................................14NEXT KANTHARI COURSE STARTS IN MAY 2014..............................15"VISUALLY-IMPAIRED MUSICIANS' LIVES" (VIML) PROJECT...............15SEEKING MORE EXAMPLES OF EMPLOYED VISUALLY IMPAIRED OF BLIND PEOPLE...........................................................15

RESOURCES.......................................................................................17CRPD AND DISABILITY ADVOCACY..................................................17WBU FAQ SHEETS ON UN AND HUMAN RIGHTS INSTRUMENTS.......182014 IMPORTANT DATES/CONFERENCE NOTICES / EVENTS............18

NEWS FROM THE REGIONS................................................................20AFRICA............................................................................................20ASIA................................................................................................20

ALL INDIA CONFEDERATION OF THE BLIND’S SECRETARY GENERAL..................................................................20

ASIA-PACIFIC...................................................................................21EUROPE..........................................................................................21

THE INTRODUCTION OF TEXT TO SPEECH AUDIO BOOKS IN FRANCE...................................................................................21IN SPANISH TAXIS, INFORMATION NOW AVAILABLE IN BRAILLE...221ST EUROPEAN AWARD FOR SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP & DISABILITY CONTEST...................................................................22WHATSCINE PROJECT, PROMOTED BY ONCE GIVES ACCESSIBILITY TO THEATRES FOR BLIND PEOPLE...............................................22BLIND STUDENTS PRACTICE PHYSICAL THERAPY AT THE TOLEDO PARAPLEGIC NATIONAL HOSPITAL.....................23

LATIN AMERICA...............................................................................23MEETING OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE ULAC.........................23THE JORGE TARAMONA MIRANDA LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD................................................................23DELIVERY OF ENRIQUE ELISSALDE AWARD TO THE ANCI............23

NORTH AMERICA & THE CARIBBEAN...............................................24

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AER CELEBRATES 30 YEARS........................................................24CANADIAN VISION IMPAIRED CURLING CHAMPIONSHIP...............24SECOND MEETING OF THE NORTH AMERICA/CARIBBEAN REGION IN 2013, LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY................24

WBU OFFICERS..................................................................................25REGIONAL PRESIDENTS.....................................................................25WBU STAFF........................................................................................25OUR PLATINUM SPONSORS................................................................26OUR DIAMOND SPONSORS................................................................26

CONTRIBUTIONS OF NEWS TO THE E-BULLETINWe welcome stories and articles from those from the regions and by those members who wish to share their good news with the rest of the world. Our next deadline for content submission will be March 28, 2014. We accept submissions in English, French, and Spanish, preferably in electronic format. Please send in by the deadline date to: Marianne.mcquillan@wbuoffice.org

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGEDear friends, In June 2013 the Marrakesh Treaty was passed as an international agreement created to help make thousands more books accessible to millions of blind and print-disabled people.  We were grateful to get this passed as a major treaty, but unless it is signed and ratified by 20 countries, it will not go into force.  Six months have gone by and we wait for governments to do their part and ratify the treaty into law in order to provide access to literature for their blind citizens.  Below is the letter I wrote to the governments of the world to join us.  And I encourage each member organization to use it as a template to contact its own government to set the Marrakesh Treaty in motion.

WBU LETTER TO ALL GOVERNMENTSThe Marrakech Treaty six months on- many signatures, but not a single ratification

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Six months ago governments put aside their differences and agreed an historic, ground-breaking treaty to help us end the "book famine" in which just a few percent of books are available in formats we can read. This Treaty must be ratified by at least 20 countries come into force, so that we can actually benefit from it. An un-ratified treaty is just a piece of paper. Below is our plea to all the world's governments to finish the job they started in Marrakech, and allow us to start the job of getting books to people who so badly need them.

Dear governments of the world,

I am writing this open letter to you in my capacity as President of the World Blind Union, on behalf of all the world’s estimated 285 million blind and partially sighted people.

Blind and partially sighted people the world over suffer from a “book famine”, in which only a few per cent of books are ever made in accessible formats we can read such as braille, large print or audio.

One of the barriers to providing a greater number of books is outdated copyright law.

Where a book has been published, but not in an accessible format, two thirds of the world’s countries do not have copyright laws that allow blind people and their organisations to make accessible format copies of such a book.

Further, if a blind person’s organisation has made such a copy, duplication would be avoided and more books made available if it could send that copy to a similar organisation in another country. However, to date that has not been possible due to outdated copyright law.

The great news is that the Marrakech Treaty, which was agreed in June 2013, should remove these legal barriers. http://www.wipo.int/wipolex/en/wipo_treaties/details.jsp?treaty_id=843

The Treaty should increase the number of national copyright exceptions for blind people. It should also allow the sharing across international borders of accessible books.

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This Treaty is fundamental for the setting up and integration of accessible reading networks across the world. However, for the Marrakech Treaty to actually help blind people, twenty countries need first to ratify it so that it can enter into force.

Even then, only blind people’s organisations in countries which have ratified can share their accessible books. Therefore, for the Treaty to make a difference, a large number of countries from around the world must sign and ratify.

Our request to you now, on behalf of blind people everywhere, is for your country to lead by example. Please ratify the Treaty speedily, and use your diplomatic influence to urge others to do the same.

In that way, we really can open a new chapter in the inclusion of blind and partially sighted people both in your country and across the globe.

Yours faithfully,

Arnt HoltePresidentWorld Blind Union

FEATURED ARTICLE

IN MEMORIAM: Remembering Abraham NemethBy Fredric Schroeder

Dr. Abraham Nemeth was one of the most remarkable individuals I have ever had the honor to know. Sadly, he died of congestive heart failure on Wednesday, October 2nd, 2013, at his home in Southfield, Michigan, in the United States. Dr. Nemeth was 94 and is survived by three stepchildren.

It is not an overstatement to say that Dr. Nemeth was the Louis Braille of braille math. His code opened the door to serious study of technical fields for countless blind people throughout the world. But the Nemeth code is much more than a technical achievement. Like braille itself, the Nemeth code is a tangible expression of the right and ability of blind people to achieve according to their ability and drive. The Nemeth code makes the profound statement that the blind are capable of

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serious achievement in the technical fields and need not be limited in their goals by blindness.

Abraham Nemeth was born on October 16, 1918, in New York City. He grew up on the Lower East Side of Manhattan in a devout Jewish family of Yiddish speaking Hungarian immigrants. Blind since infancy, he attended New York City Public Schools and later the Jewish Guild for the Blind, where he demonstrated an early, strong interest in math.

He grew up at a time when opportunities for blind people were unimaginably limited. Nevertheless, he managed to gain an education and to move forward in a demanding career. Following Dr. Nemeth’s completion of an undergraduate degree in psychology from Brooklyn College, he earned a Master’s degree in psychology from Columbia University in 1942. But his success did not come without its struggles. He studied mathematics and physics at Brooklyn College and Columbia University, but he was strongly advised to major in another field because of the assumption that a blind person could not succeed in mathematics. This was discouraging, as he had trouble finding work with his psychology degrees and grew tired of what he felt were unfulfilling jobs at agencies for the blind.

Like so many other great people, Dr. Nemeth had people in his life who, despite the odds, believed in him and in his ability. Florence Weissman, Nemeth’s first wife, encouraged him to pursue his passion and continue his education in mathematics. He re-entered Columbia University to study math, and his wife worked to help pay his tuition. This was at a time when the husband was expected to be the family support and few wives worked outside the home. Florence died in 1970 but Dr. Nemeth frequently gave her credit for her role in his future successes. He later remarried Edna Lazar, who is also deceased.

In the late 1940’s, frustrated that he could not find work in academics, Dr. Nemeth began work in the shipping department of the American Foundation for the Blind. During this time, he noticed that the braille code did not directly correlate to many mathematic functions. Hundreds of symbols are used in mathematics to represent fractions and square roots, to indicate multiplication, division and other functions and formulas, none of which had Braille equivalents. Working off of the six dots in a braille cell, he improvised symbols and methods to create a unified system to serve as the tactile language of math.

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In 1950, he presented the Nemeth Braille Code of Mathematics and Science Notation to the American Joint Uniform Braille Committee. It was officially published in 1952, and was eventually incorporated into textbooks and adopted by national groups in the United States, Canada, New Zealand, and other countries.

Dr. Nemeth went on to teach at various colleges in New York, and was then hired to teach math at the University of Detroit in 1955. He became a tenured professor and traveled all over the world to promote the Nemeth Code. In 1964, he received his doctorate in mathematics from Wayne State University in Detroit, where he developed the university’s first computer science program.

Later in his career, Dr. Nemeth contributed to the invention of a talking calculator, a Braille version of the slide rule, and was a primary developer of MathSpeak, an oral instructional system for mathematics. He retired in 1985.

Dr. Nemeth was a respected and beloved member of the National Federation of the Blind. In 1990 he received the Blind Educator of the Year Award, in 2006 he was awarded the Louis Braille award, and in 2009 he was honored as a co-recipient of the Dr. Jacob Boloton award.

Dr. Nemeth changed many lives by paving the way for blind people to succeed in science, technology, engineering, and math. He developed a braille code that enabled blind people to pursue studies in the technical fields, and through his life and achievements, he gave hope and inspiration to blind people the world round. He lit the candle of hope that comes from one blind person’s willingness and courage to challenge the odds and to pursue his or her dreams. And beyond his brilliance, beyond his academic success, beyond his profound knowledge of mathematics, he remained a humble, open and caring individual always ready to give of his time and experience to help others. And he was charming and clever with one of the most engaging senses of humor I have ever encountered. He inspired countless blind people, and I am truly privileged and honored to be among that number.

UPDATES FROM AROUND THE WORLD

First Blind Malaysian to Acquire a Guide Dog By William TS Koh, Malaysian citizen residing in Melbourne, Australia

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In 1999, I was diagnosed with glaucoma which slowly worsened through the years and led to complete blindness in 2009. I am fortunate enough to avail myself of the various aids and assistive devices that make my life as a blind person easier and more convenient; but of all these, my greatest blessing is my dog guide, Smartie.  To have a dog guide one needs to pay more than Au$30,000 for their training, but thanks to the Seeing Eye Dog of Australia (SEDA) for their “gift of sight”, I got Smartie for free in July 2011. I was then officially listed as the First Malaysian to have a dog guide in the Book of Malaysian Record.

My dog guide has given me invaluable service as I go through life. Smartie guides and assists me in my daily trips to the shops, banks, post office, restaurants, and the like. He helps me to locate the places where I want to go, get to the bus stop, cross the road safely and bring me home right to my doorstep.

In April 2012, I went to the General Hospital for a very minor surgery for which I need to stay in the hospital for two nights.  A week before the operation, I called the Ward Manager to get more information about bringing my working dog.  She told me, if I bring Smartie on the day of operation, the hospital will give me a separate room with bathroom attached, otherwise I have to share a room with three other patients.  The Ward Manager even told me, each morning the nurse will bring my dog to do his 'business' and at the late evening a nurse will walk with Smartie for an hour. The day of the operation, I brought my dog along with me.  I was given 'rock star' welcome and ushered to my room.  After the operation, I was brought back to the room where Smartie anxiously welcomed me back.  Most of the time, he would just sit on the floor beside me.  When evening came, the nurse took him for an hour-long walk.  After the walk, food and drink were placed in his bowls in the corner of the room.  For his entertainment I switched the TV on or gave him his favorite toy for him to play with. Both of us slept soundly.

The next morning, breakfast was given to Smartie and two hours later, a nurse came and took my dog to do his ‘business' and likewise he went for a long walk in the evening. In fact, I felt Smartie was luckier than me because he got many beautiful nurses to bring him out. After the third day, I was able to walk. Each time I went to the bathroom, Smartie would guide me to it and 'showed' me the toilet bowl by placing his nose very near to it, even lead me to the basin then lead me back to the bed.  Smartie would place his nose to an object, I

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would then place my palm and slowly slide to his nose, that way, I was able to find things such as toilet bowl, door handle, or an empty chair. Smartie simply followed any command or instruction I gave him.

From the experience in the hospital, I found the medical staff are fond of and caring towards working dogs.  I therefore wish to express my heartfelt gratitude to each and every member of the hospital staff for making my stay as pleasant and convenient as possible.

UPDATES FROM WORKING GROUPSAll WBU policy papers will be systematically reviewed by the committees and working groups associated with the various documents to update all policies to make them current to new international changes that may have affected the implementation of these policies. As these are updated they will be translated to be made available in our three working languages and posted to our website for member use. Some of the newer position papers published recently like the quite car/vehicles position paper, will not undergo this review and are currently available on our website (under the Resources – Policy papers section) here: http://www.worldblindunion.org/English/resources/Pages/Policy-Papers.aspx

WBU’s Progress to Implement CRPD into Day-to-Day LifeBy Dr. Victor John Cordeiro

December 13, 2006 historically marked the adoption of convention on the rights of persons with disabilities (CRPD) by the United Nations General Assembly. This was a turning point in law for persons with disabilities across the globe. The CRPD is a pivotal human rights and development instrument which places new and constructive power in the hands of persons with disabilities to enjoy all human rights and fundamental freedoms on an equal basis with others.

No human rights instrument automatically results in changing the life of human beings; it requires strong political will from one’s national government and coordinated action from civil society including persons with disabilities and their representative organizations. There is a saying: “Unless child cries even mother will not feed”. This saying is the clarion call for action by persons with disabilities to critically

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engage with all society’s stakeholders to establish the rights of persons with disabilities in their real-life situations.

Almost eight years after its creation, millions of persons with disabilities are still not aware of this convention, and the rights it gives them. Because of this, the World Blind Union works to build the capacity of its members and persons who are blind or partially sighted, in order to better understand how to move forward with establishing these rights locally through various measures. The key initiatives include: Preparation of CRPD tool kit, WBU analysis of CRPD relevance for blind and partially sighted persons, creation of check-list for each of the CRPD articles, and WBU FAQ sheets on CRPD, and establishing CRPD networks.

CRPD networks include two roles: (1) CRPD regional coordinators and (2) CRPD national champions. It is important to build the capacity of these designated roles in order to engage with appropriate stakeholders both at regional and national levels.

A three-day training program was organized for the CRPD regional coordinators October 29-31, 2013 at the NFB offices in Baltimore. Six coordinators from five WBU regions attended this training. A wide range of issues and topics were discussed. The key topics included: A conceptual framework on human rights, UN systems and processes; historical perspective of understanding blindness and low vision; Rights Based Approach; CRPD from the perspective of blind and partially sighted persons; advocacy and campaigning tools; the post-2015 development agenda and our role; and our engagement initiative on the quiet car campaign. At the end of the program an action plan was agreed upon by all the regional coordinators.

The key action points of the common minimum agenda include: regular communications between groups and individuals at least once every three months; developing regional action plans; preparing an inventory of countries that have both signed and ratified the CRPD in each region; designating national champions in at least ten countries in each region; and the capacity building of these national champions through various measures.

Apart from this specific training program, WBU has been using the available forums and meetings in order to sensitize and train various stakeholders including our own members. The key stakeholders include: disability agencies, government officials, professionals,

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persons with disabilities, and school children. Through this training we have interacted with about 1,800 people from diverse backgrounds, helping them better reflect the issues and perspectives of blind and partially sighted persons.

We acknowledge the generosity of CBM (Christian Blind Mission) (http://www.cbm.org/International-Advocacy-and-Alliances-250844.php ) in supporting our global CRPD advocacy project that enables us to build the capacity of human rights implementation of our members and other stakeholders.

This is a small beginning and we have a long way to travel towards creating a fair and just social order for 285 million Blind/Partially sighted persons.

Update on United Nations Silent Vehicle RegulationBy Dr. Fredric Schroeder

The United Nations World Forum for Harmonization of Vehicle Regulations (WP-29) is working on a Global Technical Regulation (GTR) which would require electric and hybrid-electric vehicles to make enough sound to be safe. The GTR is sponsored by the United States and Japan. The work is being done by an ad-hoc committee referred to as the Quiet Road Transport Vehicle (QRTV) committee. Dr. Fredric Schroeder, vice-president of the World Blind Union (WBU), represents the WBU in this effort. The National Federation of the Blind, which instigated this effort, is also represented at all meetings. The objective is to have a completed GTR by the Fall of 2015. Once the GTR is adopted by the United Nations, it would still need to be incorporated into each countries national law.

The GTR will require electric and hybrid-electric vehicles to make a minimum level of sound while moving below a specified speed. The speed at which the artificial sound is no longer needed is referred to as the cross-over speed. The cross-over speed has not been determined, but will most likely be in the range of 20kph to 30kph. There are four key issues the World Blind Union is monitoring. They are:

1. Vehicles should be required to make a sound while “turned on” but not moving.

2. There should not be a switch which allows the driver to deactivate the sound.

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3. The overall sound level must be loud enough to provide the appropriate level of safety.

4. The cross-over speed must be at a point where the tire road sound is loud enough to provide the corresponding level of safety.

The QRTV committee meets two or three times a year alternating between the United States, Japan, and Europe. The QRTV committee reports to the Group of Experts on Noise (GRB) committee which meets twice a year in Geneva. The GRB committee reports to WP-29 which also meets twice a year in Geneva.

WBU will have a very “visual” presence at the LOW Vision Conference in Melbourne this AprilWe will be making four presentations on these topics: (1) Vision Alliance, (2) Employment, the (3) Right to Read, and the (4) UNCRPD. The concept papers providing session details are included below.

(1) Vision Alliance Policy Paper on Low Vision

This session will officially launch and present the Low Vision Policy Paper developed by the Vision Alliance Low Vision Committee.

The Vision Alliance was established in 2009, by the World Blind Union (WBU), the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB) and the International Council for Education of People with Visual Impairment (ICEVI). It aims to explore synergies and areas of cooperation and common interest among the three organizations. One such collaborative initiative was the establishment of a joint low vision committee, recognizing that each organization previously had a separate low vision committee and that there would be opportunities for sharing and joint work. The development of a low vision policy statement is an example of that joint work.

The paper will discuss what we know and believe about low vision, trends and impacts and set forth some recommendations for government and program action.

(2) PROJECT ASPIRO – an Employment website bringing employment readiness and job search resources to blind and low vision persons

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Project Aspiro, an employment resource bank for visually impaired persons, was developed by the World Blind Union in cooperation with the CNIB. It came about as a result of the WBU’s desire to improve the employment situation of blind and low vision persons by providing tools and resources and information to dispel some prevailing myths about employment. The resource content was developed primarily by Dr. Karen Wolffe, an internationally respected professional in the area of employment of blind and low vision persons with the support of the WBU Employment Working group whose members come from around the world.

The website has four major sections: for those planning a career, for service providers, for friends and family and for employers. It brings together content of specific relevance to visually impaired persons, resources from partners around the world and success stories of those who have low vision or who are blind and are successfully employed. This rapid fire presentation will provide highlights of the resource, and will be supplemented by a poster providing more detailed information.

(3) The Marrakesh Treaty and Next Steps to End the Book FamineBy Maryanne Diamond, Chair, WBU Right to Read Campaign and WBU Immediate Past President

Even in 2013, people living with a print disability still have very limited access to books and other published works. Yet increasingly affordable and rapidly developing technology such as e-books is readily available. This digital revolution should help end the book famine by allowing us to share accessible books worldwide. However, out-of-date copyright law often gets in the way of both the making of accessible books and the sharing of them across national borders.

This presentation will provide an overview of the problem: recently adopted Treaty which puts in place the legal framework to share accessible books across boarders for persons who are blind or have a print disability and the next steps to have the treaty ratified and implemented to ensure information and knowledge are widely shared around the world.

(4) UN Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities – Implications and Opportunities for Persons with Low Vision By Maryanne Diamond and Penny Hartin TOPIC: Quality of Life

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This paper aims to inform Vision 2014 delegates about the UNCRPD, its genesis, relevance to persons with low vision, and the importance of the paradigm shift that it has mandated. The World Blind Union, which was involved in the elaboration of the UNCRPD and continues to be involved in its implementation and monitoring, will share its experiences and insights.

The UNCRPD, being the first Human Rights treaty of the 21st century and the first to involve such widespread civil society engagement, demonstrated the power and influence of persons with disabilities to design and effect change.

Collaborative processes resulted in clear imperatives for government action that, when implemented, should dramatically improve the quality of life for persons living with low vision of all ages, including: improved access to health care, education, employment, rehabilitation and habilitation, community participation, participation in decision making, improved accessibility – including technology and environmental access, and so forth.

The paper will explore the elements of the UNCRPD of most relevance to persons with low vision as well as service providers; it will also discuss opportunities for and the importance of engagement in order to optimize the potential of the UNCRPD.

To register for the Low Vision Conference go to: http://www.vision2014.org/

ANNOUNCEMENTS

UN Seventh Conference of States Parties to the CRPD The Conference will be held on 10-12 June 2014 during which the elections will take place for 9 of the 18 seats of the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Information on the process can be found on the Committee's website dedicated to the 2014 elections: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/CRPD/Pages/Elections2014.aspx as well as on IDA's website on the Conference of States Parties http://www.internationaldisabilityalliance.org/en/conference-of-states-parties. The deadline for States Parties to send in their nominations has been set for 10 April 2014. National DPOs have a large role to play in disseminating information and being consulted to ensure

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applications from highly qualified candidates for nomination by their Government.

WBU scholarshipsApplications are now open for the 2014 WBU scholarships. There are four available. Review each to learn of the different qualifications. The two scholarships are offered by the World Braille Foundation are described below:

Barbara Marjeram Braille Literacy Scholarship for Blind Woman & Girls from Developing CountriesBlind or visually impaired girls and women between the ages of 14 to 30 years from a developing country, who are enrolled in a recognized educational program in their own country, are encouraged to apply for the Barbara Marjeram Scholarship. Applications are also accepted from students enrolled in a recognized distance learning program or those who wish to venture into a micro-employment project. Funds of up to $500 per scholarship are available or at the discretion of the Board. Deadline to submit applications - April 30

Gerald Dirks Scholarship for the Advancement of Braille LiteracyBlind or visually impaired women and men between the ages of 18 – 35 years from the African Union are encouraged to apply for the Gerald Dirks Scholarship. Applicants are expected to possess Braille reading and writing skills. Preference will be given to candidates who have pre-requisite education or training to qualify either as a teacher of blind pupils; or train as a teaching assistant working alongside a qualified teacher in the classroom; or be involved in a creative braille literacy project. Funds of up to $1,000 per scholarship are available. Deadline to submit applications -June 30

More information about all the scholarships offered is available on our website: http://www.worldblindunion.org/English/resources/Pages/Scholarships.aspx

World Glaucoma Week March 9–15In an effort to expand global awareness of glaucoma as a silent disease, the World Glaucoma Association and World Glaucoma Patient WBU e-Bulletin, February 2014

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Association have united with a “Beat Invisible Glaucoma” (BIG) theme for the 6th World Glaucoma Week, March 9–15, 2014. Get involved by joining the BIG Breakfast global network. Host a breakfast adjacent to famous country landmarks, in local community halls or homes. To register your BIG Breakfast and additional glaucoma-awareness activities, please go to: www.wgweek.net.

Next Kanthari Course Starts in May 2014 Don't miss your opportunity to become a leader of social change! Learn more about their innovative hands-on approach. Previous formal education is not necessarily required. http://www.kanthari.org/admissions/program/ .

"Visually-impaired musicians' lives" (VIML) ProjectThe project at the University of London continues to explore the musical practices, participation and learning experiences of blind and partially-sighted musicians. He is still interviewing blind and partially sighted musicians, students and those who work in the music industry and blind organisations about their experiences. Contact Dr. David Baker at the “Visually-impaired musicians’ lives” project, Faculty of Children and Learning Institute of Education, University of London20 Bedford Way, London WC1H 0AL, Telephone: 01753 524740E-mail: david.baker@ioe.ac.uk website: http://vimusicians.ioe.ac.uk  

Seeking More Examples of Employed Visually Impaired of Blind PeopleThe World Blind Union’s employment resources web site, Project Aspiro, contains a number of interviews with successfully employed individuals who are visually impaired. The majority of these videotaped workers are Canadian as the Project Aspiro website was developed in collaboration with the Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB). We would like to expand our offerings in this section to reflect the diversity of WBU’s membership and the variety of jobs being performed by workers who are blind or have low vision throughout the world.

We invite people from all parts of the globe to contribute stories of successfully employed blind or visually impaired individuals who are representative of your constituents. We welcome interviews with individuals who are self-employed as well as those working for others.

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Submissions may be either audio or video files. The preferred format for an audio file submission is an mp3 file. Videos files may be submitted in any of the following formats: MOV, MPEG4, AVI, WMV, MPEGPS, .FLV, 3GPP, or WebM. Interviews should be 3-5 minutes long and follow the questions listed below for consistency on the website. Please send your submissions to: karenwolffe@gmail.com

Suggested Audio or Video Interview Questions for Project Aspiro Website:

Employment questions for individuals (self-employed or employed by others):

Please state in one sentence: what is your name and job title?* Please describe your current employment. (Probes follow…) How long have you been employed in this job? What do you like best about this job? Did you have assistance to secure this job? If so, who helped you

secure the job? What technical aids or assistance have you received? What financial assistance, if any, have you received? How long did it take you to secure your current job? At what age did you begin to work (for pay or as a volunteer)? Did you have assistance to secure your first job? If so, who helped

you? How long did it take you to secure your first job? What other jobs have you had? Please describe your educational background or vocational training. Please describe what you can see, if you have usable vision. What have been the biggest obstacles or challenges you

encountered finding or advancing in your career? How have you overcome these obstacles? Describe a time, if applicable, that you demonstrated to an

employer/potential employer/customer that you were able to perform a job/task that they did not know/understand you were able to perform.

How has being employed impacted your life? What or who has been the greatest positive influence in you being

successfully employed? What do you bring to the job (tools, attitude…) that enables you to

be successful on the job? What advice would you give to an employer or business owner who

is considering hiring someone with vision loss?

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What advice would you give to another individual with vision loss who is considering employment in your career field?

*Please ask this question again at the end of the interview to try and get extra enthusiasm for use in a collage (a snippet of video with just names, countries and occupations). For example, “Please enthusiastically state your name, country and job title”; “My name is Adam, I am from India, and I am a primary teacher for blind students.”

Please send your submissions to: karenwolffe@gmail.com

Note: If you are unable to record video with interviewees, please ask for a digital photograph or take a photo for us. Thank you. If you have any questions about this project or need further clarification, please email Dr. Karen Wolffe (karenwolffe@gmail.com). Thank you for your interest and support of Project Aspiro.

RESOURCES

CRPD and Disability AdvocacyA new book on the CRPD has been published recently focused on the process of the Convention and how Civil Society including Disability Organizations influenced the process. The preface is written by Professor Ron C. Mc Callum and chapter 9 was contributed by the late president of WFDB, Lex Grandia. Title “Human Rights & Disability Advocacy. Voices from within“. Editors, Maya Sabatello and Marianne Schulze. Available in print version and e-book 320 pagesPrint 2013 | ISBN 978-0-8122-4547-9  Ebook 2013 | ISBN 978-0-8122-0874-0

Here is the link to order this book: http://www.upenn.edu/pennpress/book/15149.htmlSee excerpt from the book here, including part of chapter 9, the contribution by the late President of WFDB, Lex Grandia -“Imagine to be a part of this”  http://abilitymagazine.com/Human-Rights.html#

John D. Heilbrunn’s book: Shared Visions, "Just because you can't drive a car" is now available from Bookshare: https://www.bookshare.org/browse/book/746223

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“Snizzly Snouts” is now available in English from NCBIAn innovating inclusive children’s book and audio CD, by Jan Dewitte and Freya Vlerick (Belgium)

The original Dutch version Rare Snuiters was published by the Belgian sight loss organization Blindenzorg Licht en Liefde in 2011 and was awarded a ‘White Raven Special Mention 2012’ by the International Youth Library and selected by IBBY as an ‘Outstanding Book for Young People with Disabilities 2013’. An English translation has now been published, in cooperation with National Council for the Blind of Ireland (NCBI). More information is available on www.snizzlysnouts.com Light for the Blind is seeking other reliable partners for the translation, promotion and distribution of Snizzly Snouts in other countries. This project is non-commercial. Contact Jan Dewitte: dewitte.jan@lichtenliefde.be

WBU FAQ Sheets on UN and Human Rights Instruments These will soon be located on the WBU website under Our Work section on the CRPD page. These will be up to review for use by members later in 2014.

2014 important dates/CONFERENCE NOTICES / Events

February 27 to March 1st AFB Leadership Conference in NYCThe 2014 American Foundation for the Blind’s at the Brooklyn Bridge Marriott. Conference attendees can join colleagues new and old for three days of informative and thought-provoking sessions led by leaders in the field. Visit www.afb.org/afblc for the latest information on this conference that draws hundreds of professionals from across the country and around the world. March 31 to April 4th, 2014 -the next Low Vision Conference will be in Melbourne, Australia. Website to register or learn more about this conference: http://www.vision2014.org/

April 8 to 9th, Funka Nu Accessibility Days, taking place in Stockholm, Sweden is northern Europe’s largest conference on accessible ICT and web accessibility: http://www.funkanu.com/en/Our-services/Funka-Accessibility-Days/

May 5 to 7th 2014 - The Foundation for Employment Promotion of the Blind and the Thailand Association of the Blind invites you to the

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12th WBU-AP Massage Seminar in Bangkok. The theme of the seminar is “Medical Massage for the Blind”. This is the opportunity to meet experts and specialists in the field of massage from more than ten countries.  Please visit the website www.wbuapseminar2014.org for more information.

June 9 & 10 - M-Enabling Global Summit is a program dedicated to promoting mobile accessible and assistive applications and services for users of all abilities. Washington, DC, USA: http://www.m-enabling.com/

July 1 to 6 – National Federation of the Blind (USA) annual convention takes place in Orlando, FL. For more information link to the NFB website: www.nfbnet.org

July 4 to 8th 2014- The Lions International Conference will be held in Toronto, Canada. WBU along with the Vision Alliance (ICEVI & IAPB) intend to have an active presence during this event by hosting a Vision Alliance information booth pertaining to our key priorities for the 1000+ Lions who will attend from all around the world.

July 30 to August 3rd - AER International Conference, in San Antonio, Texas, will draw participants from around the world for an intense educational experience for professionals who work with those who are blind and visually impaired. Sessions on assistive technology, education, aging & blindness, low vision, vision rehabilitation therapy, multiple disabilities, and much more will be presented. Visit www.aerbvi.org regularly for updates.

August 22 & 23 - The conference "eBooks for Everyone! An Opportunity for More Inclusive Libraries" will take place in Paris, France. The call for papers is open : please submit your proposals by March 3! The objective of this conference is to explore the 3-dimensional impact of eBooks. Details are provided on the conference website : http://ifla-lpd2014.braillenet.org

October 12 to 17 – 6th IDP AFRICA FORUM - The Institutional Development Program (IDP) is pleased to announce the 6th Africa Forum will be held in Kampala, Uganda at the Speke Resort Munyonyo. This is a joint program generously sponsored by Sightsavers, Perkins International and the WBU, along with NAPB & CNIB. The theme is: Beyond 2015: Delivering On The Agenda For Persons Who Are Blind In Africa. It will focus on a new development agenda for African blindness

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services beyond the UN Millennium Development Goals. Registration will open later in 2014 at: http://www.perkins.org/idp/.

October 19 to 22 - The 1st World Summit of Destinations for All will take place in Montreal, Canada and aims to establish an international strategy to develop inclusive tourism. The event will take place at the Palais des congrès. Tourism for all is not only a question of human rights, but it is also a target market that investors should consider. For more information: http://www.destinationsforall2014.com/en/index Call for abstracts deadline is March 3rd.

NEWS FROM THE REGIONS Our regions are the bridge between the international level of work and the local level. Policies and treaties constructed at global levels are then carried out by our members in their own countries. Most of the regions have their own websites where they post updates of their work, member activities, and upcoming events in their area.AFRICA http://www.afub-uafa.org/

ASIA http://www.abunion.org

All India Confederation of the Blind’s Secretary GeneralMr. J.L. Kaul has been selected by the President of India for the prestigious Padma Shri Decoration announced on the occasion of this year’s Republic Day.  This is one of the highest civilian honors conferred on Indian citizens in recognition of their outstanding contributions in different spheres.  As we congratulate Mr. Kaul on this landmark achievement, we wish to reaffirm and rededicate ourselves to the values and principles of the self-help movement, which Mr. Kaul has worked for, all his life. Mr. Kaul is a WBU Honorary Life member and also received the Louis Braille Medal at our 2012 General Assembly.

ASIA-PACIFIC http://wbuap.org/index/

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We have been receiving regular posts from Resources for the Blind in the Philippines on the work they have been doing since Typhoo Haiyan caused such wide-spread destruction in the region. These updates are available to be read on the WBU website (In English only): http://www.worldblindunion.org/English/news/Pages/How-Typhoon-Haiyan-affected-disabled-people.aspx

EUROPE http://www.euroblind.org/

The Introduction of Text to Speech Audio books in FranceIn July 2013, the French organisation "Association Valentin Haüy" for the blind has tested the readiness of it library subscribers to use "Text To Speech" DAISY audio books. They introduced TTS books into the library catalogue, and presented this innovation to subscribers as an experiment, followed by a survey. It showed an amazingly positive reaction: Only 4% of respondents crudely rejected the use of TTS books in

answering they will never try again. 70% answered they will not hesitate to borrow other TTS books from

the audio library again. The overwhelming majority of respondents say they, by no doubt,

prefer audio books recorded by human beings. The clients clearly detected the specific advantages of TTS books that are: immediate availability of accessible books when published, availability of accessible books at a much larger scale.

Even more surprising, older library subscribers welcomed TTS DAISY books as positively as the younger.

This swing in perception of library users largely reflects the significant improvement of TTS software. We also worked with our TTS provider (ACAPELA GROUP) to improve the French version of their TTS "ALICE". http://www.acapela-group.com/ They’ve developed versions in Arabic Catalan, Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Finn, French, German, Greek, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Mandarin Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Swedish, Turkish. ACAPELA GROUP is a French software developer based in Toulouse.

In Spanish Taxis, information now available in Braille From the start of the year, taxis in the Spanish capital, Madrid, will have to carry a sticker with information in Braille, displayed in an

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accessible position inside the cab. The information includes the cab’s license plate, its licence number, etc. These should all be available to people who are blind or low vision. This pioneering initiative is in line with article 25 of Madrid’s municipal law, which allows people who are blind or low vision to travel in greater safety. It gives them the ability to report, if needed, any irregularities in the taxi – until recently, exercising this right would not have been possible.

1st European Award for Social Entrepreneurship & Disability Contest The ONCE Foundation launched the first European Award for Social Entrepreneurship and Disability, promoting social investment, which seeks to publicly acknowledge those social entrepreneurship initiatives aimed at the field of disability, and recognize projects under development or already underway with less than one year in the market. There are 2 categories: (1) projects benefitting or including disabled, and (2) entrepreneurs with disabilities with an innovative project. 50 candidates from 12 countries presented. The award amount is 6,000 euros, and the theme was " Social Entrepreneurs: Have your say!”, organized by the European Commission.

Whatscine Project, promoted by ONCE gives Accessibility to theatres for Blind People Whatscine with the Carlos III University of Madrid and with the support of ONCE, have started a new venture that makes cinemas accessible enabling people with visual impairments to hear the audio description of the film without interfering with the main audio track of the film. It will also allow hearing impaired people see the Spanish sign language through special glasses, or follow the captioning on smartphones. Being a multilingual application, the foreigners watching films in Spanish cities could enjoy them with subtitles in their own native language. Shared access to leisure and our culture promotes equality.

Blind Students Practice Physical Therapy at the Toledo Paraplegic National Hospital Students of the School of Fisioterapa, enrolled in the course "Practicum 1" to conduct their rehabilitation physiotherapy practices at the National Hospital for Paraplegics in Toledo. This activity reported a benefit for the physically disabled patients, many who became disabled as a result of recent accidents. The patients felt excited and relieved to see the rehabilitation work being carried out by a group of people with disabilities (blind or visually impaired students) who are WBU e-Bulletin, February 2014

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fully integrated into college. This helps the patients realize they too can pursue a new life with many more possibilities than they may have thought.

LATIN AMERICA http://ulacdigital.org/

Meeting of the Executive Committee ULAC The meeting of the ULAC executive will be held in April in the city of Lima, Peru. These meetings will address implementation of the 2012-2016 Strategic Plan. Open to individuals and local organizations in order to exchange ideas about the major challenges in such areas as the implementation of the Treaty of Marrakech, inclusive education, rehabilitation models, sports programs and recreation for people with visual disabilities, participation of youth, women and seniors in the organizations of persons with disabilities.

The Jorge Taramona Miranda Lifetime Achievement Award Professor Angel Aguirre Patrone received in November the Decoration Jorge Taramona Miranda. This is one of the awards with which ULAC recognizes individuals who have rendered outstanding services and to blind and low vision people in Latin America.

Delivery of Enrique Elissalde Award to the ANCI Created in 2000, the Enrique Elissalde Award is meant to highlight work done within the region that improves the lives of blind people. The 2013 prize was delivered to the National Association of the Blind (Cuba) as part of its National Congress, with the following: "Example of unity and commitment to its mission, the National Association of the Blind makes a fundamental contribution for thousands of blind and low vision persons living in Cuba. Founding member of our American Union, ANCI has firmly supported ULAC development through the invaluable contribution of philosophical foundations as well as through active participation from their leaders. For these reasons and for their invaluable contribution in the region and the world, the Latin American Union of the Blind awarded the distinction "Enrique Elissalde” to the National Association of the Blind of Cuba. "

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NORTH AMERICA & THE CARIBBEAN AER Celebrates 30 YearsIt was in 1984 that two groups of vision professionals decided to consolidate the American Association of Workers for the Blind and the Association for Education of the Visually Handicapped to form the Association for Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired. Those visionaries created an organization with the mission of supporting professionals who provide education and rehabilitation services to people with visual impairments, offering professional development opportunities, publications, and public advocacy. Happy Anniversary AER!

Canadian Vision Impaired Curling ChampionshipThe Canadian Council of the Blind’s annual Blind and Vision Impaired Championship was held during White Cane Week, February 2-8, at the Ottawa Curling Club in the nation’s capital. Eight teams from across the country competed in the event, and the competition was fierce! This event provided a platform to demonstrate the abilities and skills within the community. For more information on the curling event, or other White Cane Week activities, visit www.ccbnational.net

Second Meeting of the North America/Caribbean Region in 2013, Louisville, KentuckyThe meeting was held on November 1st, hosted by the American Printing House for the Blind (APH). Among various other items of business, Ms. Diane Bergeron was elected as an alternate member to the Region Executive Committee, and Mr. Ron Tascarella and Ms. Kerryann Ifill were appointed CRPD coordinators for North America and the Caribbean sub-regions, respectively. Mr. Scott LaBarre was appointed coordinator for the region for work on the Treaty of Marrakesh. Mr. LaBarre is an American attorney who was centrally involved in the series of negotiations which ultimately led to the signing of the treaty. Members also discussed progress on the International Technical Regulation relating to the sound made by hybrid and silent vehicles. The Region meets again in New York on May 30th 2014.

WBU OFFICERSMr. Arnt Holte, Presidentarnt.holte@blindeforbundet.no

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Dr. Fredric Schroeder, 1st Vice Presidentfschroeder@sks.comMr. Enrique Pérez, 2nd Vice President EPB@once.esMrs. Rina Prasarani, Secretary Generalrinalamsyah@gmail.coMr. A. K. Mittal, Treasurer akmittal@rediffmail.comMs. Maryanne Diamond, Immediate Past Presidentmaryanne.diamond@visionaustralia.org

REGIONAL PRESIDENTSAFRICA (AFUB)

Mr. Jace Nair jace@sancb.org.zaASIA (ABU)

Mr. Santosh Kumar Rungta santoshkumar.rungta@gmail.comASIA PACIFIC (WBU-AP)

Ms. Michiko Tabata tabacchi@par.odn.ne.jpEUROPE (EBU)

Mr. Wolfgang Angerman w.angermann@dbsv.orgLATIN AMERICA (ULAC)

Mr. Volmir Raimondi presidencia@ulacdigital.orgNORTH AMERICA/CARIBBEAN (WBU-NA/C)

Mr. Charles Mossop charles.mossop@cnib.ca

WBU STAFFDr. Penny Hartin, Chief Executive Officerpenny.hartin@wbuoffice.orgMs. Marianne McQuillan, Manager, Fund Development & CommunicationsMarianne.mcquillan@wbuoffice.orgMs. Ianina Rodriguez, Administrative Assistant Ianina.rodriguez@wbuoffice.org Dr. Victor Cordeiro, Advocacy Coordinator adco.wbu@gmail.com

The World Blind Union is registered in Canada as a charitable organization in order to raise funds for our work. Donations from individuals or groups are always appreciated and can be made via the “Donate Now” button on our website: www.worldblindunion.org.

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The members listed below provide funds, beyond their membership fees to support the work of the World Blind Union. We are grateful to these members for their valued contributions.

OUR PLATINUM SPONSORS Royal National Institute of Blind Persons (RNIB) www.rnib.org Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB) http://www.cnib.ca Organizacion Nacional de Ciegos Españoles (ONCE)

http://www.once.es Vision Australia http://www.visionaustralia.org.au/ Sightsavers International http://www.sightsavers.org

OUR DIAMOND SPONSORS Royal New Zealand Foundation of the Blind Norwegian Association of the Blind and Partially Sighted (NABP) Swiss Federation of the Blind and Sight Impaired (SFB) National Industries for the Blind (NIB)

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