New era - new changes - Nigel Howard

This is a follow up of the presentaton held earlier today by Nigel Howard.

In this new era we must change the mindset of people from the concept of disability to ability. In addition, we must change the perception from inability to capability.

You must decide amongst yourselves what kind of changes you want to happen. And then you must initiate the changes you want to happen and be united and consistent with the changes.

What is essential is that all associations work together: deaf association must work with interpreters, parents of deaf children, individuals and groups, local, national and internationally.

One way of making change happen is through networking, such as the use of internet, information and resource sharing and informing the key political leaders.

The tools to assiist in this change are the WFD resolutions which were adopted at the 15th WFD Congress in Madrid  and the UNCRPD.

The next thing is that we must have actually change happen. We must be positive, proactive and constructive. When you go back home then share your information with the persons in your country and with other parts of the world. The world needs you to make change happen. Do not sit back, but participate. You are yourself responsible to make this happen.

With the support of the declaration that was made at the ICED convention in Vancouver on 19 July 2010, we can make change happen.

Markku Jokinen, outgoing WFD president, was then invited to come to the stage. Markku Jokinen restated that individuals can make the change happen, or initiate the change. By collaborating, from person to more, we can make change happen. Markku Jokinen received the book from the ICED congress where 530 signatures were collected. Following the conference more signatures were collected, we now have a total of  8575 signatures. The signature book will be at the WFD stand during the currrent congress. During the coming four years we will collect more signatures from across the world. Anyone can sign the book to show their support for the change.