EAST WIND
Official Newsletter of the World Blind Union-Asia
Pacific
No. 12
Please visit the World Blind Union-Asia Pacific website!
Contents of this issue:
From the Editor
From the President
Introducing the members of the WBUAP joint
Board and Policy Council 2012-2016
Report from the World Blind Union/Asia Pacific Employment,
Economic and Empowerment Committee
News from Pacific-Oceania sub-region
Disability Care Australia
DANIDA Project Update
Miracle In Marrakesh: "Historic" Treaty For
Visually Impaired Agreed
President of the Philippines Blind
Union-A Biography
Blind Sculptors, Ice Breakers
News from Thailand Association of the blind
The 1st Thailand International Braille Reading and
Writing Contest
Upcoming Conferences and Events
Contact Details
On behalf of the Editorial Team, I
would like to say that we are humbled to be entrusted with the responsibility
to publish the East Wind for the term 2013-2016. We plan to publish this magazine which is the voice of the blind and visually
impaired in the Asia-Pacific Region twice each year i.e. in January and
July.
This is our magazine. The
success of this publication very much depends on each and every one of us
sharing news/information or personal stories. So please feel free to send
in your contribution. The contact information for all the members of the
Editorial Team can be found at the end of this magazine.
Happy
reading.
Wong
Yoon Loong
Chair,
Editorial Committee
******
From
the President
We
have the pleasure of welcoming the latest East Wind, the first of our Regional
newsletters in this quadrennium and under the leadership of the new Editorial
Board. Please update your colleagues around the region on what is going on around
you, by submitting your writings to our Editorial Board, so that they will not
have time for rest!
We
have entered the fourth quadrennium as WBUAP Region, and thanks to the past
presidents and other leaders, our Regional Union is growing and developing
steadily. I am very happy to inform all the readers that the current Board and
Policy Council members are full of ideas and actions and passion, all looking
forward to working for the region and for blind and partially sighted people.
The
Asia Pacific Region still has a long way to go. I am afraid a world without
problems is not easy to realize. But with our dedication and commitment, with
ideas and creativity, with passion and friendship, with colleagues and friends
all around us, we can make a difference, more opportunities and a better world
for blind and partially sighted people.
Let
us join hands together, because this is not the region of the Board and Policy
Council members, but the region for all of us. We have the pleasure of seeing
more people getting involved in regional activities, but we want to see more
people coming, more people sharing experiences and expertise, and more people
benefiting. Above all, please come and join in the fun and excitement of the
region!
Best wishes from rainy Tokyo,
Michiko Tabata
President
World Blind Union Asia-Pacific
******
Introducing
the members of the WBUAO joint Board and Policy Council 2012-2016
1. Ms.
Michiko Tabata - President (National Committee of Welfare for the Blind in
Japan - NCWBJ).
2. Mr.
Sung-Jun Ha - Vice-President (Korean Blind Union, KBU).
3. Dr.
Kevin Francis Murfitt - Hon. Treasurer (Vision Australia).
4. Mr.
Ivan Ho Tuck Choy - Secretary General (National Council for the Blind of
Malaysia, NCBM).
5. Ms.
Martine Abel-Williamson - Rep. to WBU (Association of Blind Citizens of New
Zealand (ABCNZ).
6. Sen.
Monthian Buntan - Rep. to WBU (Thailand Association of the Blind TAB).
7. Mr.
Chong Chan-Yau - Rep. to WBU (Hong Kong Blind Union HKBU).
Chairpersons:
8. Mr.
Andrew Daly - Chair of the Committee on Employment and Economic Empowerment
(Royal Society for the Blind of South Australia - RSB).
9. Mr.
Neil Jarvis - Chair of the Committee on ICT and Assistive Technologies (Royal
New Zealand Foundation of the Blind RNZFB).
10. Dr. Kevin
Francis Murfit - Chair of the Committee on Resource Generation.
11. Ms.
Martine Abel-Williamson - Chair of the Women's Committee.
12. Mr.
Zhu Gang - Chair of the WBUAP Massage Commission (Yeahcome Health- Care Centre
of China).
13. Mdm.
Jasmine Khoo Khin Sheen - Chair of the South-East Asia Sub-Regional Committee
SEASRC (NCBM).
14. Ms.
Gerel Dondovdorj - Chair of the East Asia Sub-Regional Committee, EASRC
(Mongolian National Federation of the Blind (MNFB).
15. Dr.
Kevin Francis Murfitt - Chair of the Pacific and Oceania Sub-Regional
Sub-Committee.
Other Appointments:
(a) Mr.
Wong Yoon Loong - Editor of the Editorial Board (NCBM).
(b) Mr.
Chong Chan-Yau - Chair of the Social Enterprise Task Force.
(c) Ms.
Martine Abel-Williamson - WBUAP CRPD Co-ordinator.
(d) Sen.
Monthian as Liaison to UNESCAP and the Asia-Pacific Centre on Disabilities.
(e) Ms.
Michiko Tabata to the Asia-Pacific Disability Forum, APDF.
(f) Dr.
Kevin Murfitt - Rep. to the Pacific Disability Forum PDF and Rep. to the WBU
Nominations Committee.
(g) Dr.
Kim Young-Il - Rep. to the World Braille Council (KBU).
(h) Ms.
Michiko Tabata - Rep. to UNESCAP as one of the 15 CSO's on the Working Group of
the Incheon Strategy.
******
Report from the WORLD BLIND
UNION/ASIA PACIFIC (WBU/AP) Employment, Economic and Empowerment Committee
(WBU/AP-EEE)
Andrew Daly,
Chair - WBU/AP-EEE Committee
The WBU/AP-EEE Committee has now
been formed and the Terms of Reference have been reviewed and endorsed by the
Executive at their April meeting.
The committee has now met twice
and agreed a set of actions and priorities for the next four years.
Members of the committee are
Dr Wong Huey Siew (Malaysia)
Mr Thomas Bryan, (New Zealand)
Mr Tran Thi Hong Hai (Vietnam)
Mr Andrew Daly (Australia)
Mr Pecharat
Techavachara (Thailand)
Ms Maureen Tam (Hong Kong)
Mr Wong Yoon Loon (Malaysia –
Deputy)
The
Committee has set, as a goal, to strive to achieve 400 jobs within the region
over the next four years concentrating on the following countries where a
dedicated employment service for the blind is located.
·
Malaysia, Vietnam, Thailand, Hong Kong
Issues
for the employment of people who are blind in the region vary depending on the
local environment and the countries stage of development.
The
following is a number of issues that crossover the nominated countries for the
WBU/AP-EEE Committee focus:
·
Adaptive Equipment,
·
Employer Perception,
·
Employee Perceptions,
·
Job Ready Skills
·
Orientation and Mobility –Independent Travel
The
members of the WBU/AP-EEE Committee will concentrate on providing resources and
creating opportunities for blind people with sample training. The WBU/AP-EEE
Committee is happy to receive information and resources from the region to
support their goals.
If you
wish to communicate with the WBU/AP-EEE Committee please email adaly@rsb.org.au
News
from Pacific-Oceania sub-region
Chair of
Pacific-Oceania sub-region Kevin Murfitt attended the Pacific Disability Forurm
Conference in New Caledonia from April 6 to 12. This conference held every two
years brings disabled persons organizations (DPOs) together from across the
Pacific to discuss issues and innovations for people with disability in the
region and beyond.
At this conference,
Kevin presented a paper on the Pacific Education Development Framework;
children with vision impairment, which is a document advocating for the
implementation of strategies to include children who are blind or have low
vision into schools across the Pacific. The framework details actions required
for each country to achieve this such as vision screening, teacher training on
disability, braille training etc.
Vision Australia in
partnership with the Royal Institute for Deaf and Blind Children, (RIDBC), and
AusAid sponsored the workshop in Sydney (Feb 2011) that brought educators and
advocates of education for children who are blind or have low vision together
and resulted in the development of the Pacific Education Development Framework;
children with vision impairments document.
The PEDF-Vi can be
found on the WBU-Ap web site at www.wbuap.org
More information
about the Pacific Disability Forum can be found at www.pacificdisability.org
******
Disability Care
Australia
Kevin
Murfitt
Chair
Pacific-Oceania sub-region
Information accessed from:
www.disabilitycareaustralia.gov.au
Once fully rolled out by July
2019, DisabilityCare Australia will provide support for around 460,000 people
who have a significant and permanent disability that affects their
communication, mobility, self-care or self-management, and who need assistance
with everyday activities.
This includes people who are
dependent on a wheelchair or prosthesis for mobility, assistance from others in
decision making, accessing the community and/or managing household tasks.
DisabilityCare Australia will
also support people who would benefit substantially from early intervention to
prevent or reduce permanent disability.
There isnft a list of who is in
and who is out because the scheme is designed to be about what an individual
can do and what they need to achieve their goals.
People with disability who do not
meet the access requirements for the scheme, will also continue to receive
supports consistent with their currently agreed arrangements.
What will DisabilityCare
Australia cover?
DisabilityCare Australia will
provide long-term, individualised support that is reasonable and necessary to
meet the needs of people with permanent and significant disability. This may
include an individual plan and an individually funded package.
The supports available under the
scheme will vary from person to person, but may include therapies, home and
vehicle modifications, assistive devices and equipment, assistance with
household tasks, personal care and transport, community access, and assistance
for family and carers.
DisabilityCare Australia will
recognise that disability is for a lifetime, and so it will take a lifelong
approach to providing support. This means that assessment will look beyond the
immediate need, and across the course of a personfs life.
Taking a lifelong approach also
means that DisabilityCare Australia will focus on early intervention. The
scheme will make early investments where there is good evidence that it will
improve the long-term outcomes for people, reduce lifetime costs and delay or
mitigate the deterioration in a personfs functional capacity, so they can
remain independent for as long as possible.
An information and referral service
will help people with disability access mainstream, disability and community
supports. DisabilityCare Australia may also provide assistance to community or
disability groups for specific projects or accessibility projects, which are
designed to benefit a significant group of people.
The scheme was
launched on July 1 2013 in five areas of Australia and represents a total shift
in the way disability support is provided in Australia. The funding packages
will go to individuals with disability themselves and they can choose what
services they receive and who they gain them from. It means for example, that a
person who is receiving informal support from a family member or relative for
attendant care, may be able to actually employ that same person
for those services. We will keep you updated on developments.
******
DANIDA Project
Update
Michiko
Tabata
Regional
Coordinator
Here are a few updates from the DANIDA Capacity Building Project going on in
Mongolia and Lao PDR, since we all met in Bangkok for the WBU General Assembly.
For more information, please contact LAB and MNFB, or me at tabacchi@par.odn.ne.jp.
Meetings:
The
Project Steering group had two Skype meetings during the first half of 2013.
Each time, we reviewed and discussed applications for the small scale grant projects,
which are meant to support branches, committees and other structures of MNFB
and LAB. Some of the activities approved included: training on animal raising,
workshop on business management for branches, production of radio programs,
advocacy through sports events, plan for this yearfs
White Cane Day celebration. Some of the activities were already implemented in
the first half of 2013.
Orientation and
Mobility
The
project sent trainers of orientation and mobility training to the two
countries, who conducted Training of Trainers for several weeks last year. The
newly trained O&M trainers have been travelling around in both countries to
train blind people how to use canes, how to recognize the environment etc. For
most of the recipients of training, most of the things were new, and for the
first time they know how to walk independently by using white canes and their
different senses.
Fundraising
workshops
The
two organizations held at least one fundraising workshop for their leaders in
the past year, including the ones held earlier this year. They are implementing
some of the tactics for fundraising such as organizing some events and
approaching different entities.
Third country
Our
friends at the Danish Association of the Blind saw some opportunities for
including another country as a target and requested the Board and Policy
Council to recommend a third country to be included when they submit the
application for another phase of the project next year. BPC decided to include
Myanmar, at their first BPC meeting in Yangon in late April this year.
******
Miracle
In
Marrakesh: "Historic" Treaty For Visually Impaired Agreed
26 June 2013
Adapted from an Article By Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch
(http://www.ip-watch.org/2013/06/26/miracle-in-marrakesh-historic-treaty-for-visually-impaired-agreed/)
Marrakesh, Morocco – The mood was one of celebration at the Marrakesh
Palais des Congrès to greet the success of World Intellectual Property
Organization negotiators in their attempt to produce a draft treaty text
showing consensus.
After a difficult start to the week, delegates achieved success and the
corridors of the conference centre echoed with laughter and congratulations.
Tears of joy were shed as most celebrated this as an historic agreement.
Visually impaired people and civil society supporting them were ecstatic, some
said overwhelmed.
The final informal consolidation draft text [pdf] was issued late at night, and all articles were adopted by a
full room of delegates. The text is now off to the drafting committee which
will ensure that all different language versions are consistent and compatible.
WIPO members are meeting in Marrakesh, Morocco, from 17-28 June to
finalise a treaty on limitations and exceptions to copyright for blind and
visually impaired persons, allowing them better cross-border access to books.
For the visually impaired community, this is seen as nothing short of a
miracle.
After 10 days of hard negotiations, Dan Pescod, who leads the World
Blind Unionfs European campaign for the treaty, confessing exhaustion,
told Intellectual Property Watch before the text was available gpart
of me wants to see the text in front of me and part of me feels this is an
historic day many years in the making.h
Maryanne Diamond, immediate past president of the World Blind Union,
told Intellectual Property Watch that all issues that mattered for
blind people had been addressed. gWe are still in shock,h she said, adding
gthis is the beginning of changing the world for blind people.h
Pablo Lecuona from the Latin American Blind Union said that for the past
five years the blind community had been pushing for recognition of the problem
of access to books for visually impaired people.
gNow we have a treaty,h he told Intellectual Property Watch, but
said they have further work, which is the ratification and the implementation
of this treaty so that it is an effective tool so that blind people can access
more books.
gI am overwhelmed. It was so hard and it should not have been so hard,h
said Jamie Love, a strong supporter of the treaty. gIt took five years of hard
work when it could have been much quicker but people really changed their mind
when they met blind people. You could see a change in attitude in delegates,h
he said.
gThe European Union and the United States delegates found a way to push
back on industry lobbying,h he told Intellectual Property Watch, and even
within industry, he added, there was a change of attitude, with some lobbyists
pushing back hardliners.
Jim Fruchterman, the head of Benetech, which runs Bookshare, a digital
platform providing special format books for visually impaired people, said, gWe
are extremely excited about the treaty. We have the technology and we have the
content, now we have a legal regime to make it possible for every person with
print disabilities on the planet to get access to the books they need for
education, employment, and social inclusion.h
The level of enthusiasm was the same among delegates, whether from
developed, developing or least-developed countries.
Justin Hughes, a US delegate, told Intellectual Property Watch, gIt
was a pleasure to work with Brazil, and the European Union, and Mexico in the
early days to try to get the first collaborative text together. Obviously it
feels wonderful to see that text come to fruition.h
Another representative of Group B developed countries said that the text
was balanced, as a European Union delegate said, gEverybody is very happy, very
satisfied.h A delegate of the African Group said, gIt is a miracle.h
In a rare occurrence, all delegations, as well as civil society,
celebrated in unison a treaty characterised as serving human rights.
The enthusiasm was not as marked on the side of publishers. A source
from the publishing industry told Intellectual Property Watch that
the text was gpretty balancedh and that gthere was something in it for
everyone.h Visibly the text is not to their full satisfaction, but most
interviewed said they were happy for visually impaired people.
WIPO Director General Francis Gurry told observers that the treaty had
been driven by nongovernmental organisations and it was not only a treaty, but
a good treaty. He extended ghis profound thanksh for what he describes as ga
truly historic result.h
gIt is a great thing for WIPO, for intellectual property, for the
multilateral system, but above all, for visually impaired persons,h Gurry said.
He was greeted by sustained applause. Participants widely praised the work of
the WIPO secretariat.
******
President of the Philippines Blind Union - A Biography
Teddy M. Kahil was
born without sensory impairment on August 20, 1972. He completed his education
and obtained the degree of Bachelor of Science in Marine Transportation major
in Nautical Engineering at Zamboanga State College of Marine Sciences and
Technology.
Mr Kahil first began
having problems with his vision in 1995, when he suddenly awoke one morning
with blurring eyesight. In 1999, Mr. Kahil completely lost sight caused by uveitis
and optic atrophy. It took him more than three years to accept the disability.
In 2002, he availed himself of the programs and services of the Philippine
Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) through a Vocational
Rehabilitation Center in Zamboanga City where he became the president of the
center-based clients association and graduated as the most outstanding client
of the year in 2003.
On July 1, 2003, Mr.
Kahil landed a job at DSWD as a massage instructor. He took the opportunity to
elevate his academic knowledge by enrolling at Western Mindanao State
University, College of Social Work and Community Development, in the Masterfs
of Social Work course. Mr. Kahil worked during the week and spent the weekends
studying. After passing his examinations and submitted his thesis entitled gGovernment
Employment Support Policies for People With Disabilities In
Zamboanga Cityh, he graduated on March 26, 2009 and became the first Person
With Disability conferred with a Masterfs degree at the aforesaid university.
On June 23-24 of the same year, he passed the Board Examination conducted by
the Professional Regulations Commission. This became more significant for he is
so far the first and only vision-impaired Registered Social Worker in the
Country with a Masterfs degree.
On September 16,
2009, Mr. Kahil was appointed as a Manpower Development Officer then
transferred to the City Government of Zamboanga as the head of the Persons with
Disabilities Affairs Unit under the Office of City Social Welfare and
Development on February 4, 2011.
Mr. Kahil has three
daughters, Carolyn aged 8 years, and nine months old twins Alyza and Alyana.
His wife Marilyn is also vision-impaired currently works as instructor for the
vision-impaired. Despite his busy schedule, Mr Kahil always finds time for his
family.
Mr. Kahil organized
the Vision Impaired Society Towards Advancement Inc. On July 17, 2005 at Area
Vocational Rehabilitation Center III, Zamboanga City. In 2007, he obtained the
approval of the DSWD Regional Office to re-establish the operation of a
livelihood center for people with disabilities located at Gen. Vicente Alvarez
Street, Zamboanga City. Mr. Kahil then submitted a successful project proposal
to the Department of Labor and Employment for the purchase of other necessary
equipment to establish the VISTA massage therapy clinic on September 22, 2009.
The project has been operational since then, with 48 students having graduated
since its beginning.
In 2008, immediately
upon his election as President of Zamboanga City Federation of Differently
Abled Community, Mr. Kahil drafted a resolution requesting the passing of an
ordinance establishing the Persons with Disabilities Affairs Office in
Zamboanga City. On December 2009, this Ordinance was passed and approved by the
Mayor. The Persons with Disability Affairs Unit became operational on February
11, 2011.
Mr. Kahil as head of
the unit, provided technical assistance and conducted several activities. Among
others were:
Consultation-Dialogue on Philippine disability
legislation, R.A. 9442 and training on such areas as wheelchair assessment,
accessibility law, Economic Empowerment for people with disabilities,
accessible technology and training for parents of Children with disability. He
was the catalyst in the strengthening of the following organizations:
Katipunan ng may Kapansanan sa Zamboanga, Philippine Blind Union Inc., Vision Impaired
Society Towards Advancement Inc., Mindanao Advocate for Children with Visual
Impairment Inc., Zamboanga City Deaf Federation Inc. In April 2012, Mr. Kahil
successfully organized the Philippine Association for Differently Abled
Zamboanga City Chapter. He also made a sterling effort in the formation of the
Association of Tausog with Disabilities, a group currently operating in the
Province of Sulu. Through his effort, Mindanao Disability Alliance was
organized in 2012.
Mr. Kahil has been an
inspiration to students and professionals with disabilities in Zamboanga
Peninsula. In 2011, he was the commencement speaker of the graduation exercise
at Southern City Colleges and then became resource person during the conduct of
a consultation sponsored by the Philippine Coalition on the United Nations
Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in Cagayan De Oro City in
2012. In January 2013, he lectured on Equality and Non-Discrimination at
Ecotech Lahug, Cebu City. Mr Kahil also inspired people with disabilities in
Isabela, Basilan Province, and the Autonomous Region for Muslim Mindanao on a
speaking engagement during the celebration of White Cane Safety Day in 2012.
Mr. Kahil is a
recipient of a national award as Outstanding Visually Impaired Person on
Community Involvement, Government Service Category awarded by the Department of
Education in August 2010. He is likewise a recipient of several other
recognitions and commendations for his meaningful contributions that have made
a difference to the lives of people with disabilities.
Mr. Kahil has been
elected for three terms as President of Zamboanga City Federation of People with
Disabilities, President of PHILSPADA, Zamboanga City Chapter, Founding
President of Vision Impaired Society Towards Advancement Inc., Regional
President of Zamboanga Peninsula Federation of Disability, Member of the board
of AKAPPINOY Inc. And the newly elected National President of Philippine Blind
Union Inc. The first so far grass roots leader who assumed leadership of a
national organization.
******
By
This past January has been a great opportunity for some of us to make
use of the end of year/Christmas holiday period to channel our energy into
something creative, as well as making use of the break to socialise with blind
friends from around the world, within as well as outside our Asia-Pacific
region.
A blind school friend from South Africa, Francois Jacobs, Kevin Murfitt,
Pacific-Oceania Sub-region Chair (from Australia) as well as friends from
outside Auckland but still in New Zealand all decided to visit me, for us all
to share some down time together, as one usually tends to catch up for work
purposes mostly.
As Ifve tried sculpting a while ago, I decided to surprise all by
arranging for us to participate in a crash course, over four days, to learn
more about stone sculpting. New Zealand sculptor, Martin Selman, has experience
in hands-on teaching, although the art in itself can be quite visual.
Oamaru lime stone is a relatively soft kind of stone, well, when you
compare it with marble to name an example and the techniques and equipment
introduced included using a scutch hammer, metal file, chisels and sand paper.
Between the five of us who went on the course we ended up making the
following items: a bird bath with its stand, a dogfs water bowl, an incense
holder, a silver fern garden ornament, a medieval wheat grinder and a tea-light
candle stand.
At times we ended up accidently hammering or filing a finger or two, but
the overall experience of trying something totally different was really
relaxing as well as invigorating.
Arts Access Aotearoa, the
www.facebook.com/ArtsAccessAotearoa
During our holiday we also ended up visiting a bar with a kind of
difference, called, Freddyfs Icehouse.
As the name indicates, itfs a room where the constant temperature is six
degrees minus C. One gets given a hat, jacket and gloves upon entering and all
the tables, seats and other furniture and ornaments within are made out of ice.
It doesnft melt at all so we could have a sit around without getting soaked.
Even the vessels we drank out of were made of ice. One had to hold it with both
gloved hands to stop it from slipping and falling.
If you drink alcohol, you could take your time doing so, but
non-alcoholic drinks would freeze nearly immediately. Afterwards we had the
opportunity to break the ice cups. It was very tactile and different, so, if
anyonefs planning on visiting New Zealand, do let me know so that I can
introduce you to this bar with a difference.
******
News
from Thailand Association of the blind
Thailand
International Blind Music Festival
Last year, Thailand
Association of the Blind (TAB) organized The 1st International Blind Music
Festival in parallel with the 8th general assembly of the World Blind
Union (WBU) joint
General Assembly with the International Council for Education of People with
Visual Impairment (ICEVI) which took place in Bangkok from November 10-18, 2012.
The music festival was held at Benjasiri Park with audiences of around 300
daily from November 12-15, 2012. During the festival, we were honoured to
experience performances from Ignasi Terraza who is a Catalan jazz
pianist. Blind from the age of
10, he currently leads his own jazz trio playing both standards and tunes composed by himself and one
of his band members; and Jordie
Howell, Classical soprano, who works at Vision Australia as a
Braille Trainer and music transcriber. Also joining in this international music
festival were local bands called gDiamondh, gIonionh and others. There was also
a show of the northeastern Thai traditional
music called Bonglarng.
This year,
TAB will again organize the 2nd Thailand International Blind Music Festival. We
would like to invite talented blind musicians from around the world to
participate in this event. The
details are as follows: Event date: 14-15 and 21-22
December 2013
Event theme: "Breathing in the dark"
Place: Bangkok and Chiang Mai
Show Time: 6.00-9.00 p.m.
Auditions: now until 31 July 2013
Announcement of the selected musicians: by 31
August 2013
Please submit a brief biography and profile for
our consideration to
wbu.icevi@gmail.com
The host organisation will provide
1. Round trip air ticket, economy class
2. Accommodation during stay in
Thailand
3. Meals during stay in Thailand
4. Ground transportation during stay
in Thailand
5. Sightseeing in local area
We are
looking forward to listening to your great music!
The
12th World Blind Union Asia-Pacific massage seminar
The
Foundation for the employment promotion of the blind and The Thailand
Association of the Blind will together organize The 12th World Blind Union Asia-Pacific massage seminar to be held on May
5-7, 2014 at the
Golden Tulip Sovereign Hotel in Bangkok. The seminar theme is gMedical massage
for the blindh. The keynote
address will be about the Development of medical massage for the blind in
Thailand by Dr. Vichai Chokevivat from Thailand. In addition, there will be 6 plenary
sessions as follows:
Plenary 1: gMassage
business modelh
Plenary 2: gMedical
massage for 12 symptoms treatmenth
Plenary 3: gLocal
massage techniquesh
Plenary 4: gRelated
research in medical massage and acupunctureh
Plenary 5: gMassage
clinic modelh
Plenary 6: gFuture
perspectives for WBUAP medical massageh
The WBUAP massage
commission led by Mrs. Grace Chan, Founding Chairman (China Hong
Kong), Dato Dr Hsiung Kwo Yeun, Vice
Chairman (Malaysia) and
Mr. Peng Lei, Chairman Assistant (China) visited the Golden Tulip Sovereign Hotel, Bangkok on May
17, 2013. The team was welcomed by
Mr. Pecharat Techavachara,
president of the Foundation for the employment promotion of the blind, senator
Monthian Buntan, immediate past president of Thailand Association of the Blind
and some local organizing committee members to inspect the preparation for The
12th World Blind Union Asia-Pacific massage seminar.
The seminar expects to draw over 500 participants from the
region. The objectives of this
seminar are:
(1) to exchange knowledge and massage
techniques among Asia-Pacific countries and
(2) to promote the development of
quality of life of persons with disabilities.
Registration
fee:
Delegate 280
USD
Accompanying
Person 230 USD
Abstract submission deadline: August 31, 2013
Notifications regarding abstract status: September 30, 2013
For any further
information, please feel free to contact 12thwbuap@gmail.com
or visit www.wbuapseminar2014.org
ASEAN Community Blind Forum (ACBF)
The Thailand
Association of the Blind (TAB) organized The 16th TAB national
convention on April 20–24, 2013 at Hua Hin Grand and Plaza hotel, Prachuap Khiri Khan Province. In parallel, we also organized The 1st ASEAN
Community Blind Forum (ACBF). We were honoured to welcome 17 leaders from
Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, The
Philippines, Singapore and Vietnam. And of course some representatives from
Thailand.
ACBF
is the stage to share ASEAN experiences for the development of visually
impaired persons and to get ready for the ASEAN Economic Community in 2015.
During the forum, the representatives reported the situation of persons with
visual impairment in their respective countries. There was an interesting
exchange of knowledge and information. At the end of the forum, all the
participants agreed to create an ACBF email group to allow continued discussion
among persons with visual impairment in ASEAN. The purpose of this group is to be an
open forum for discussion on issues concerning blindness and blind people in
the ASEAN countries. Although we would like to keep this list open and allow free
flow of discussion as much as possible, we would like to cordially request that
you concentrate on issues which affect the lives of blind people in general and
try to refrain from personal matters. If you would like to join this group,
please send the request to wbu.icevi@gmail.com
******
The 1st Thailand
International Braille Reading and Writing Contest
Thailand Association
of the Blind will hold The 1st Thailand International Braille
reading and writing contest during 17-19 January 2014 at Ratchasuda
College, Mahidol University in concurrence with The 19th
National Braille Reading and Writing Contest.
Application Criteria:
·
Visually impaired persons from ASEAN
countries (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines,
Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam)
·
Applicants are divided into two age groups;
i.e., ages 15-24 years and 25 years onwards. Please apply as individuals.
Type of contest
1. English
Braille reading
Award
type:
2.English Braille
writing
Application
conditions:
The host country will
support the following costs for four applicants with one sighted guide
For
further information and application forms, contact:
Miss
Yaowalak Somboonlertsiri (Apple)
International
Relations Coordinator
Thailand
Association of the Blind (TAB)
85/1-3 Soi
Bunyu, Din Daeng road, Samsennai,
Phyathai, Bangkok 10400 Thailand
Office:
+662-246-2287, 662-246-3835
Fax:
+662-246-2278, +662-245-9846
******
Upcoming
Conferences and Events
International Art Exhibition for People with
disabilities
Dear
Friends,
We
at Nippon Charity Kyokai (Public Interest Incorporated Foundation) are carrying
out a variety of activities to encourage persons with disabilities to achieve
self-reliance and fulfillment in their life by fully exerting their potential.
@
This coming October,
we will organize in Japan an international art exhibition named g2013 Asia
ParaArt Tokyoh, collecting paintings by disabled artists in Asian countries.
It would be highly
appreciated if you could make known to us some artist(s) with disabilities in
your country who would agree to exhibit their work in this exhibition. We will
contact them directly, or through your organization, according to your
instruction.
We will not make any
distinction according to the kind of disabilities. We would like to introduce
works of artists with various kinds of disabilities including physical,
intellectual and mental disabilities.
We are looking
forward to hearing from you very soon, with information on talented artist with
disabilities from your country.
Best
regards,
Kinji
Takagi
President
Public
Interest Incorporated Foundation gNippon Charity Kyokaih
******
Contact Details
Chief
Editor
Wong Yoon
Loong
National
Council for the Blind Malaysia
94B Jalan
Tun Sambanthan
Brickfields
50470
Kuala Lumpur
Malaysia.
E-mail: wongyl@pd.jaring.my
Dr.
Issavara Sirirungruang
Ratchasuda College, Mahidol University
111 Moo 6, Phuttamonthon 4 Road,
Salaya, Nakhon Pathom 73170,
Thailand.
E-mail: isvrss@gmail.com, issavara.sir@mahidol.ac.th
Helen
Freris
c/o International Social Service Australia
Level 2
313/315 Flinders Lane
Melbourne
VIC 3000
Email: hfreris@tpg.com.au
Diana
Swanson
The
Royal Society for the Blind (RSB) of South Australia
Knapman
House
230
Pirie Street
Adelaide,
South Australia 5000
E-mail:
dswanson@rsb.org.au