Welcome to the 8th Helen Keller World Conference and The 2nd General Assembly of the World Federation of the Deafblind
Ever since the first Helen Keller World Conference in New York in 1978, HKWC has played a major role in international deafblind work. It has turned out to be a useful vehicle in creating an interest for deafblind issues all around the world. At every HKWC, important progress has taken place and after every conference activities for and of deafblind have been initiated in new countries. Last, but no least, HKWC has given us the opportunity to meet, to exchange experiences and to make plans for the future.
At the 6th HKWC in Colombia, something very important happened. The international cooperation among deafblind had by then advanced so far that we decided to take the decisive step and create our own world federation, the World Federation of the Deafblind. At the next HKWC in New Zealand in 2001, WFDB was formally founded at its first and founding General Assembly.
At the HKWC/WFDB GA in Finland 2005, we will continue the important work we have begun. We will exchange experiences and information, we will meet old friends and make new ones. During the WFDB GA we will elect a new Executive Committee and make plans for the international policy making work. In policy making, WFDB, alone, as well as in cooperation with other international organisations, has had the opportunity to influence the work of the United Nations, for instance in elaborating the draft convention that will promote and protect the rights and dignity of persons with disabilities. This is extremely important work and it also leaves its print on the theme of the 8th HKWC ”Our right to be deafblind with full participation in society”.
However, it will not only be an interesting and important conference. Our host country, Finland, is a friendly, beautiful and interesting country in Northern Europe. At the time of the conference, the long, cold and dark winter will have passed and Finland will turn into a country of light and lush greenery, with sunlight almost 24 hours a day. There are all necessary elements for an interesting and successful conference and I hope to see you all there – both old and new friends.
Once again, me and my colleagues in WFDB Executive Committee would like to extend our warmest welcome!
See you in Tampere, 3-7 June 2005!
Stig Ohlson, President, WFDB
(2005-02-16)