World Federation of the Deaf
The World Federation of the Deaf ( English World Federation of the Deaf , short WFD ) is an international association for the deaf. It was founded in Rome in 1951 and is a non-governmental organization that claims to represent the interests of around 70 million deaf people worldwide. The United Nations recognizes the association as the legitimate international representation of the deaf and works closely with it. The current headquarters are in Helsinki .
Objectives
The association is committed to
- an improvement in the status of national sign languages
- better education for the deaf
- improved access to information and services
- increased rights of the deaf in developing countries
- the creation of deaf organizations in areas where they do not exist
Selection of national associations
- Germany : German Deaf Association
- Liechtenstein : Liechtenstein Cultural Association for the Deaf
- Japan : Japanese Association of the Deaf
- Norway : Norges Døveforbund (NDF)
- Austria : Austrian Association of the Deaf
- Philippine Deaf Association
- Switzerland : Swiss Association of the Deaf (SGB-FSS)
Events
Since it was founded, a world congress has been held every four years and is attended by official delegates from the member countries. An extensive cultural program with exhibitions, theater, films, poetry lectures and debates is connected to the congress, which is performed in various sign languages. The Association also launched Deaf Day .
| number | year | Month / date | place | motto |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 (I) | 1951 | 21st September | Rome , Italy | (No motto) |
| 2 (II) | 1955 | Zagreb , Yugoslavia | (No motto) | |
| 3 (III) | 1959 | August 22-26 | Wiesbaden , FRG | (No motto) |
| 4 (IV) | 1963 | August 17-21 | Stockholm , Sweden | (No motto) |
| 5 (V) | 1967 | August 10-17 | Warsaw , Poland | The Deaf Among Hearing Persons |
| 6 (VI) | 1971 | July 31st - August 5th | Paris , France | The Deaf Person in the World in Evolution |
| 7 (VII) | 1975 | July 31st - August 8th | Washington, DC , USA | Full Citizenship for All Deaf People |
| 8 (VIII) | 1979 | Varna , Bulgaria | The Deaf People in Modern Society | |
| 9 (IX) | 1983 | Palermo , Italy | Deafness Today & Tomorrow: Reality & Utopia | |
| 10 (X) | 1987 | July 20-28 | Espoo ( Helsinki ), Finland | One World - One Responsibility |
| 11 (XI) | 1991 | July | Tokyo , Japan | Equality and Self-Reliance |
| 12 (XII) | 1995 | 6-15 July | Vienna , Austria | Towards Human Rights |
| 13 (XIII) | 1999 | July 25th - 31st | Brisbane , Australia | Diversity and Unity |
| 14 (XIV) | 2003 | July 18-26 | Montreal , Canada | Opportunities and Challenges in the 21st Century |
| 15 (XV) | 2007 | July 16-22 | Madrid , Spain | Human Rights through Sign Languages |
| 16 (XVI) | 2011 | July 18-24 | Durban , South Africa | Global Deaf Renaissance |
| 17 (XVII) | 2015 | July 28th - August 1st | Istanbul , Turkey | Strengthening human diversity |
| 18 (XVIII) | 2019 | Paris , France | TBD |