I’d like to introduce two videos; the first one is a message from the Presidents of the Danish Deaf Association and the second is from Finnish Association of the Deaf – both of these Associations are current members of the World Federation of the Deaf (WFD).

The Danish Deaf Association (DDL) supports the WFD and has donated to the WFD to further WFD’s advocacy work with the United Nations which has been done with the goal of improving the lives of members of the Deaf Community.

A specific example is which WFD has been influential is in the establishment of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) which is a powerful tool for the Danish Deaf Community to assist us to lobby and negotiate within the Danish political system.  The CRPD includes a number of Articles related to Deaf Rights and Sign Language Rights. This has assisted the DDL with our advocacy work in Denmark and we have experienced a number of successes. We are very grateful to WFD and we have recognised this support by donating to WFD and its important work.

The Finnish Association of the Deaf (FAD) has supported WFD for many years by providing office space and through financial donations, which we will continue this year.  FAD recognises WFD as an important organisation focusing on issues related to Deaf Human Rights and Sign Language Rights worldwide to ensure equality is achieved for all.

FAD would also like to encourage other country members to donate funds to WFD to sustain its important work.

The WFD Board wishes to express our thanks to both DDL and FAD for their generous donations.  At present, the WFD is not in a strong financial position.  The WFD Board and myself as WFD President would like to encourage you – the country members to consider our request to donate money to support WFD’s Human Rights work for all deaf people globally.

If you or your organisation wish to discuss this with us – please contact our WFD Executive Director, Eeva Tupi, her email address is: eeva.tupi@wfd.fi

The WFD looks forward to receiving more donations to assist us achieve Human Rights for all deaf people.

Colin Allen AM
President
World Federation of the Deaf