2011-2015 WFD President Colin Allen

Volume 5, Issue 4
June 2012
Spotlight on:
2011-2015 WFD President Colin Allen
The World
Federation of
the Deaf (WFD),
headquartered in
Helsinki, Finland,
is an international
non-governmental
organization
representing approximately 70 million
Deaf people’s human rights
worldwide. The WFD is a federation
of 133 national deaf associations;
its mission is to promote the rights
of deaf people to full, equal access
to all spheres of life, including selfdetermination,
sign language, education,
employment and community
life. WFD has a consultative status
in the United Nations and is a member
of International Disability Alliance
(IDA).
The WFD’s 2011-2015 president, Colin Allen of
Australia, has worked extensively over many years
with the WFD both as a board member and a project
coordinator. He has also been involved in various
development cooperation projects all over the world
and has led local and national deaf associations in
Australia.
Allen was elected WFD President in July 2011 at
the WFD General Assembly in Durban, South Africa,
by 41 of 71 eligible votes cast. His platform strongly
emphasized the importance of teamwork in accomplishing
deaf human rights in partnership with WFD’s
132 Ordinary Members.
In his acceptance speech, Allen said that having
encouraging deaf parents helped him on his journey.
“We must all work together to rid the world of discrimination
and the oppression of deaf people, to achieve
WFD President Colin Allen is a
world leader in Deaf community
development, human rights
and advocacy.
www.discoveringdeafworlds.org
equality for the 70 million deaf people
around the world.”
WFD Action Plan
The following vision, mission and
goals have been adopted by the
WFD General Assembly:
Vision: Deaf people have full human
rights in an equal world where
they and their sign languages are
recognized and included as part of
human diversity.
Mission: The WFD promotes
and advances the human rights
of deaf people through cooperation
with the United Nations and its
agencies, national organizations of
deaf people, and other partners.
Goals:
1. Promote the human rights of
deaf people by working in close cooperation
with the United Nations and its human
rights mechanisms.
2. Establish Human Rights Training Projects for
members of the Deaf Community globally.
3. Streamline its communications with its members
and interested parties by enhancing the
capacity of the website to respond to information
requests.
4. Continue to seek partners and funding in line
with its long-standing goals.
Currently, Allen serves as the Director of Services
at the Deaf Society of NSW in Australia, and is responsible
for delivery of services across five departments.
He has also worked as a development project
worker for nine years. He was employed by the Finnish
Association of the Deaf for projects in Albania,
Cambodia, Kosovo and the Balkan Region, and co-
June 2012 1

The newly-elected 2011-2015 World
Federation of the Deaf board.
ordinated the WFD–Global Education Pre-Planning
Project. Following this, he was responsible for conducting
and disseminating surveys across WFD’s
seven regional secretariats regarding the status of
Deaf people. Some of the issues that were explored
were the status of Deaf people as citizens, deaf
education, government recognition and support,
sign language interpreting and other relevant issues.
The reports are at www.wfdeaf.org/our-work/
development-cooperation/project.
For more on WFD, visit www.wfdeaf.org.
2 Discovering Deaf Worlds
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and Twitter!
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By Nicky Templo-Perez
Second National Interpreters’
Conference in Manila
On May 19, about 70 people trooped over to the
Augusto-Rosario Gonzalez Theater of De La Salle-
College of Saint Benilde in Manila, Philippines, to attend
the Second National Interpreters’ Conference
hosted by the Philippine National Association of Sign
Language Interpreters (PNASLI).
The theme was Level Up: Taking Professionalization
of Sign Language Interpreters in the Philippines
to the Next Level, and the conference featured speakers
who discussed how sign language interpreters in
the Philippines could better hone their craft. Elections
were also held for the new board of trustees, regional
representatives, and Deaf Advisory Council members.
Japan’s Etsuko Umemoto and India’s Monica
Punjabi Verma, Asia Representatives of the World
Association of Sign Language Interpreters (WASLI),
welcomed the newly formed PNASLI with messages
of encouragement. This was followed by keynote
speaker Lauro Purcil, who is blind and the Lead Convenor
of the Philippine Coalition on the United Nations
Council on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Ka
Lauro, as he is fondly called, addressed the scarcity
of interpreters in the Philippines, and the importance
of developing “a standard of interpreting that will result
in the equalization of opportunities, non-discrimination,
accessibility, inclusion and enjoyment of all
rights and fundamental freedoms of the Deaf.” He
What is DDW?
Discovering Deaf Worlds is a 501(c)(3)
non-profit international Deaf advocacy organization
dedicated to empowering Deaf
and hard of hearing communities in developing
countries. DDW strives to advance
the capacity of local Deaf communities
around the globe to meet their social, educational
and employment needs.
For more information, visit:
www.discoveringdeafworlds.org.
Second PNASLI National Interpreters’ Conference
participants gathered in Manila.
also noted the importance of equally fighting for interpreters’
rights, and how this special group of individuals
must enjoy all human rights and fundamental
freedoms.
After Ka Lauro’s keynote speech came a slew of
different perspectives on sign language interpreters
and how the profession could reach greater heights.
DDW’s Davin Searls discussed his experiences interacting
with Deaf leaders and their hearing allies from
all over the world. Rosalinda M. Ricasa, Ph.D., of Gallaudet
University, a Filipina who is a pioneer in Deaf
education in the Philippines, discussed interpreting
strategies and linguistic features.
Liza Martinez, Ph.D., of the Philippine Deaf Resource
Center discussed the difficulties of voice interpretation.
John Xandre Baliza of De La Salle-College
of Saint Benilde’s School of Deaf Education and Applied
Studies talked about interpreting-related injuries
and how to sign effectively and prevent injury. Soya
Mori of the Development Studies Center of the Institute
of Developing Economies tackled the importance
of Deaf interpreters being included in the interpreting
profession.
It was indeed a full day for those who attended
and everyone left looking forward to this year’s work
of professionalizing sign language interpreting in the
Philippines.
There are 200-250 interpreters in the Philippines,
of which 85 are certified by and registered with the
Philippine Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf. All of
them have other primary jobs. For more information,
contact philippinenasli@gmail.com.
June 2012 3

4 Discovering Deaf Worlds
Bush Mango Drum and Dance
gave a rousing performance
at the second annual DDW benefit.

DDW Successfully Hosts
Second Annual Benefit
DDW supporters from Rochester
and beyond congregated to celebrate
DDW’s accomplishments.
On April 20, DDW hosted its Second Annual Benefit
at the Harro East Ballroom in Rochester, N.Y. With
a fundraising goal of $15,000, over 400 people from
across the nation purchased tickets and raised over
$22,000. Proceeds will be applied to DDW’s organizational
development work in the Philippines and Costa
Rica, where DDW is collaborating with local Deaf leadership
teams to improve education, employment and
human rights for Deaf people. DDW continues to be
entirely volunteer-run with over 30,000 volunteer hours
logged since its inception in December 2006.
L-R: Board member Michael Schwartz with his
wife Trisha and daughter Brianna,
Executive Director Davin Searls,
and grand prize winner John Reid
Special thanks go to New York Relay Service, University
of Rochester American Sign Language Program,
Nixon Peabody LLP, 480 Print, Joseph Neale &
Marcy Oppenheimer, Interpretek, AllOut Marketing, Le-
Chase Construction, Ramay East LLC, Justice Enterprises,
and Martin & Suzi Oppenheimer Philanthropic
Fund for their generous sponsorship.
We also thank Bush Mango Drum and Dance for
their energizing performance. If you would like to see
photos from this event, please “like” our Facebook
page at www.facebook.com/DiscoveringDeafWorlds.
June 2012 5

The Importance of the U.N. Convention
on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
By Michael Schwartz, Ph.D., LL.M.
On May 17, President Barack Obama
sent the United Nations Convention on
the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
(CRPD), adopted by the U.N. General
Assembly on December 13, 2006, to the
U.S. Senate for ratification. According
to the president, the CRPD represents
“the principles of equality of opportunity,
nondiscrimination, respect for dignity
and individual autonomy, and inclusion
of persons with disabilities, [and] seeks to promote, protect,
and ensure the full and equal enjoyment of all human
rights by persons with disabilities.”
Although the Americans with Disabilities Act is a pioneering
civil rights law, it applies only to the U.S. By
ratifying the CRPD, the U.S. will lend its power to promoting
disability-related access around the world. Ratification
is now up to the U.S. Senate.
The CRPD breaks from the traditional view of
6 Discovering Deaf Worlds
people with disabilities as “objects” of
charity, medical treatment and social
protection and provides a new model
where people with disabilities are “subjects”
with rights, capable of exercising
those rights and making decisions for
themselves based on their free and informed
consent.
The CRPD states that people with
disabilities are active members of society.
It is a revolutionary human rights
instrument that reaffirms the right of
people with all types of disabilities to enjoy human
rights and fundamental freedoms. It identifies areas
where accommodations are needed for people with
disabilities to effectively exercise their rights. In short,
the CRPD is a call to combat discrimination based on
disability anywhere in the world.
Hopefully the U.S. will do the right thing and ratify
not only the CRPD but also its place in the pantheon of
human rights everywhere.

DEAF HAS NO BORDERS
Travel Cambodia
February 1 – 10, 2013
• Learn about Cambodian Sign Language
• Visit the temples of Angkor Wat
• Engage in the Cambodian Deaf Community
For pricing and reservations, contact Dave Justice at:
ddwjourneys@discoveringdeafworlds.org
Video phone: 585.286.3215
Voice Phone: 585.234.8144
www.discoveringdeafworlds.org
June 2012 7

n of the Deaf: A History is
e WFD. From its inception
from Italy, Austria and
in 1949, through its 50 th
ry in 2001, this book covers
hlights of the quadrennial
ongresses, board meetings
decades as well as quotations
from Congress proceedings
our changing world views
ugh the issues of the day. Also
uded are biographies of all WFD
ard winners, histories of the Deaf
sociations in each member country
f the WFD, and a color section of
international stamps recognizing
the deaf and disabled communities.
pages. Over 250 photos.
Endnotes and index. Softcover.
8 Discovering Deaf Worlds
51
THE ST
BIENNIAL
NATIONAL
ASSOCIATION
OF THE DEAF
CONFERENCE
WHAT YOU NEED TO SEE
AT THE CONFERENCE:
PARTICIPATE IN WORKSHOPS BY:
COLIN ALLEN / PRESIDENT OF
THE WORLD FEDERATION OF THE DEAF
DAVIN SEARLS and DAVID JUSTICE / DISCOVERING
DEAF LEADERSHIP IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
WILMA NEWHOUDT-DRUCHEN / U.N. CONVENTION
ON THE RIGHTS OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES
by Jack R. Gannon
“My hope is that this book will become
an important resource for Deaf people
everywhere to better understand the
founded and sustained the WFD and
our national organizations of the Deaf.
At the same time this book can serve
to enlighten those who are not deaf
and share our struggle for human
.” —Jack R. Gannon
MEET JACK R. GANNON, AUTHOR OF
WORLD FEDERATION OF THE DEAF
A HISTORY
80.
Published by the National Association of the Deaf (USA)
AND MANY MORE SPECIAL EVENTS,
PRESENTATIONS AND WORKSHOPS!
00 USD
Shipping charges will be calculated
based on weight and destination.
Upon receiving your order, we will
contact you with the shipping cost.
Brokerage fees, taxes, duties and
customs charged by the country
the package is being shipped to are
the responsibility of the purchaser.
http://www.nad.org/WFDbook
LOUISVILLE
K E N T U C K Y
JULY 3 - 7 , 2 0 1 2
FUN THINGS TO SEE IN
LOUISVILLE THIS JULY:
VISIT AREA ATTRACTIONS:
CHURCHILL DOWNS
LOUISVILLE SLUGGER MUSEUM
MUHAMMAD ALI MUSEUM
BE PART OF EVEN MORE FUN AT:
DEAFESTIVAL KENTUCKY
WE WANT TO SEE YOU THIS JULY!
FOR MORE INFORMATION, CHECK OUT
HTTP://WWW.NAD.ORG/LOUISVILLE

DDW at NAD
Conference!
Davin Searls and Dave Justice will present
“Discovering Deaf Leadership in Developing
Countries” at the 51st Biennial
National Association of the Deaf Conference
in Louisville, Ky.
For those able to attend, please stop
by Room KICC211 on Wednesday, July 4,
from 8:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.to learn more
about DDW’s work.
Information about the NAD conference
can be found at www.nad.org/louisville/
workshops.
Newsletter services provided by
T.S. Writing Services, LLC
www.tswriting.com
A Deaf-Owned Company
Did You Know?
• The most recent country to ratify the Convention on the
Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and its Optional
Protocol (OP) was Estonia, on May 30.
• First adopted by the United Nations General Assembly
on Dec. 13, 2006, the CRPD opened for signature on
March 30, 2007. Including Estonia, there now are 113
state parties that have ratified the CRPD, and 65 that
have ratified the OP.
• The CRPD defines disability as including “those who
have long-term physical, mental, intellectual or sensory
impairments, which in interaction with various barriers
may hinder their full and effective participation in society
on an equal basis with others,” and is intended to protect
the rights and dignity of all persons with disabilities (see
article on page 6).
• The CRPD recognizes the “specific cultural and linguistic
identity [of the Deaf community], including sign languages
and deaf culture.”
• The U.S. signed the UNCRPD on July 30, 2009, but has
not signed the OP, nor ratified either document.
For more information about the CRPD or to read the full text
of the document, visit http://bit.ly/bxmj0r.
June 2012 9

DDW sends a huge, hearty thank you to all of the
volunteers who helped coordinate and run DDW’s
Second Annual Benefit: Lauren Bain, Marylark
Box, Alex Caven, Alan Hood, Dave Justice, Bill
Keenan, Kim Keenan, Kathy Dollinger-Meyer,
Lyndsey McGrath, Maria Nikolaou, Elizabeth
Pattison, Brian Plath, Kevin Richmond, Jenna
Sadue, Davin Searls, Lauren Searls, Sheena
Stuart, Catherine Stutzman, and Susanna
Supalla!
Kim Kelstone: You continue to go above and
beyond for this organization. Thank you for your
10 Discovering Deaf Worlds
Shout-Outs!
View DDW’s weekly vlogs
Check out DDW’s weekly vlogs at
www.discoveringdeafworlds.org/videos/frontpage.html
support and service through every event and
meeting we host. We are lucky to have you!
Hearing Loss Association of America,
Rochester Chapter, and Alternative
Communication Services: We appreciate your
guidance and pro bono services in providing realtime
captioning accessibility at our recent benefit.
Thank you!
Mary Kay Hargather: You and your staff were a
pure joy to work with, and we will most certainly
consider hosting a future benefit at Harro East
Ballroom!