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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-language:EN-NZ">From:</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-language:EN-NZ"> icevi-spevi@googlegroups.com [mailto:icevi-spevi@googlegroups.com]
<b>On Behalf Of </b>Frances Gentle<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Thursday, 2 January 2020 11:13 AM<br>
<b>To:</b> 'spevi-list@googlegroups.com' <spevi-list@googlegroups.com>; icevi-spevi@googlegroups.com<br>
<b>Subject:</b> ICEVI message for World Braille Day, 4 January 2020<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:6.0pt;line-height:130%"><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:130%;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Dear friends and colleagues<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:6.0pt;line-height:130%"><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:130%;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">I am pleased to forward ICEVI’s World Braille Day message for 4<sup>th</sup> January 2020.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:6.0pt;line-height:130%"><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:130%;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">With best wishes, Frances<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:6.0pt;line-height:130%"><b><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:130%;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:6.0pt;line-height:130%"><b><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:130%;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">World Braille Day, 4<sup>th</sup> January 2020<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:6.0pt;line-height:130%"><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:130%;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">The International Council for Education of People with Visual Impairment (ICEVI) joins the United Nations
and global disability community in celebrating World Braille Day on Saturday 4<sup>th</sup> January 2020. This day marks the 211<sup>th</sup> anniversary of Louis Braille’s birth and his creation at age 15 of a tactile reading and writing system that is called
Braille in his honour.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:6.0pt;line-height:130%"><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:130%;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">World Braille Day was established by the United Nations in 2019 to raise awareness of the importance
of braille in the context of education, freedom of expression and opinion, and social inclusion – see
<a href="https://www.un.org/en/observances/braille-day">https://www.un.org/en/observances/braille-day</a>. The UN emphasises the provision of braille and other accessible forms of communication in the
<i>Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities</i> (CRPD, 2006, Articles 2, 9, 21 and 24).
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:6.0pt;line-height:130%"><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:130%;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">ICEVI, in partnership with the World Blind Union (WBU), released a
<i>Braille Literacy Position Statement</i> in 2016, in recognition of the importance placed on braille in the United Nations CRPD. ICEVI and WBU highlight that “Braille represents competency, independence, and equality…learning to read and write in braille
can make a dramatic difference in the life of a visually impaired child or adult”. WBU and ICEVI set out the following four recommendations in the Braille Literacy Position Statement:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="text-indent:-18.0pt;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2">
<![if !supportLists]><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">1.<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span></span><![endif]><span lang="EN-AU">We strongly recommend that all blind and severely partially-sighted children be given the opportunity to learn and become proficient in braille reading and writing skills and that they must receive instruction
from those who are thoroughly trained and qualified to teach braille.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent:-18.0pt;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2">
<![if !supportLists]><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">2.<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span></span><![endif]><span lang="EN-AU">We strongly recommend that all blind persons have access to a variety of books and publications in braille that are up-to-date and include such materials as textbooks, education support materials, leisure reading
materials and materials that support their full and active participation in community life.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent:-18.0pt;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2">
<![if !supportLists]><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">3.<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span></span><![endif]><span lang="EN-AU">While advances in technology enable faster and more efficient production and use of Braille, we recommend that technology should be used to enhance the use of Braille, not to replace it.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="text-indent:-18.0pt;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2">
<![if !supportLists]><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">4.<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span></span><![endif]><span lang="EN-AU">We recommend that all governments should ratify the WIPO Marrakesh Treaty which allows for copyright exceptions to facilitate the creation of accessible versions of books and other copyrighted works for visually
impaired persons and for the import and export of such materials across national boundaries.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:6.0pt;line-height:130%"><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:130%;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">On behalf of ICEVI, I invite you to join us in celebrating World Braille Day on 4<sup>th</sup> January,
and in promoting braille as an essential means of communication and social and educational inclusion for persons with visual impairment.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:6.0pt;line-height:130%"><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:130%;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Dr Frances Gentle, President, ICEVI<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-fareast-language:EN-AU"><img border="0" width="288" height="117" id="Picture_x0020_1" src="cid:image001.jpg@01D5C14C.D677FA40" alt="Title: ICEVI Logo"></span></b><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:120%"><b><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:120%;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#0076B3;mso-fareast-language:EN-AU">Frances Gentle<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt;line-height:120%"><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:120%;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#002060;mso-fareast-language:EN-AU">AO, PhD, D. Litt.
<i>Honoris Causa</i></span><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-size:8.0pt;line-height:120%;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-fareast-language:EN-AU"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:120%"><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:120%;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-fareast-language:EN-AU">Conjoint Lecturer, RIDBC Renwick Centre;<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:120%"><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:120%;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-fareast-language:EN-AU">President, International Council for Education of People with Visual Impairment (ICEVI);
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:120%"><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:120%;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-fareast-language:EN-AU">and Co-President, South Pacific Educators in Vision Impairment (SPEVI)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:120%"><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-size:8.0pt;line-height:120%;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-fareast-language:EN-AU"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:120%"><b><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:120%;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-fareast-language:EN-AU">Royal Institute for Deaf and Blind Children</span></b><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:120%;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-fareast-language:EN-AU"><br>
361-365 North Rocks Road, North Rocks NSW 2151<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:120%"><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:120%;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-fareast-language:EN-AU">AUSTRALIA<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-fareast-language:EN-AU">Tel: +61 2 9872 0808<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-fareast-language:EN-AU">Fax: +61 2 9873 1614<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-fareast-language:EN-AU">Email:
<span style="color:#0070C0"><a href="mailto:frances.gentle@ridbc.org.au"><span style="color:blue">frances.gentle@ridbc.org.au</span></a></span><br>
Web: <a href="https://linkprotect.cudasvc.com/url?a=http%3a%2f%2fwww.ridbc.org.au%2frenwick&c=E,1,KY6pAbMp0IWJdsKPxwFWBD2mgeSM24eQlQoX2yS4MZtIifbaWDp0Zk-aaYv8Ip3o3tkMhe-jsMkQYzcbDCiENcTxFONyLj3146VCQ2ENOFQ,&typo=1">
<span style="color:blue">www.ridbc.org.au/renwick</span></a> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:120%"><b><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:120%;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1F497D;mso-fareast-language:EN-AU">Disclaimer:</span></b><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:120%;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1F497D;mso-fareast-language:EN-AU">
This email, including any attachments and/or links, is intended solely for the named addressee/s and may contain confidential information. If you are not the intended recipient of this email please notify the sender immediately and delete it and any attachments
from your system. Do not copy, print, change, forward or save the email. Any views expressed in the email are those of the sender and not necessarily those of the Royal Institute for Deaf and Blind Children (RIDBC).<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;mso-fareast-language:EN-NZ">--
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