Timeline of the events
World Congresses :
1951 Rome, Italy (no theme) 1955 Zagreb, Yugoslavia (no theme) 1959 Wiesbaden, Fed. Rep. of Germany (no theme) 1963 Stockholm, Sweden (no theme) 1967 Warsaw, Poland The Deaf Among Hearing Persons 1971 Paris, France The Deaf Person in the World in Evolution 1975 Washington DC, USA Full Citizenship for All Deaf People 1979 Varna, Bulgaria The Deaf People in Modern Society 1983 Palermo, Italy Deafness Today & Tomorrow: Reality & Utopia 1987 Espoo, Finland One World – One Responsibility 1991 Tokyo, Japan Equality and Self-Reliance 1995 Vienna, Austria Towards Human Rights 1999 Brisbane, Australia Diversity and Unity 2003 Montréal, Canada Opportunities & Challenges in the 21st Century 2007 Madrid, Spain Human Rights Through Sign Languages 2011 Durban, South Africa Global Deaf Renaissance 2015 Istanbul, Turkey Strengthening Human Diversity
Presidents :
| 1951 - 1955 | Vittorio Ieralla, Italy |
| 1955 - 1983 | Dragoljub Vukotic, former Yugoslavia |
| 1983 - 1995 | Yerker Andersson, USA |
| 1995 - 2003 | Liisa Kauppinen, Finland |
| 2003 – 2011 | Markku Jokinen, Finland |
| 2011- | Colin Allen, Australia |
General Secretaries/Executive Directors
1951 Cesare Magarotto 1987 Liisa Kauppinen 1996 - 2005 Carol-lee Aquiline chosen as first full-time paid General Secretary 2005 – present No Executive Director
Liaison with UN
1958 UNESCO grants WFD consultative status 1959 UN grants WFD special consultative status 1959 WHO grants WFD consultative status 1984 UNESCO acceptance of Sign Language in Deaf education 1992 UN presents Testimonial to WFD “In grateful recognition of dedicated service in support of the United Nations Programme Concerning Disabled Persons 1993 UN General Assembly adopts “The Standard Rules for the Equalization of Opportunities for
Persons with Disabilities”, wherein Deaf people’s right to sign language and other rights are recognised.1994 UNESCO’s “Salamanca Statement and Framework for Action on Special Needs Education” recognises Deaf children’s right to sign language in education 2007 UN adopts the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), recognises Deaf people to have the right to use sign language, have the right to access to information in sign language, to use sign language interpreter at any events, and using sign language in education
![AAL-FOLKEHOYSKOLE-[Converted]](http://wfdeaf.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/AAL-FOLKEHOYSKOLE-Converted-50x50.png)
An Individual Member of the WFD contributes to organisation's daily work which deals with supporting and strengthening deaf associations, organizing human rights trainings, advancing deaf people's rights in the United Nations human rights system, spreading information on the Convention on the rights of persons with disabilities(CRPD), producing material in sign language and much more. 
