Fall 2007 Table of Contents
Versión Español de este artículo (Spanish Version)

Announcement of Competition to Attend International Congress

by Kathleen M. Huebner, Ph.D., Chairperson, North American and Caribbean Region, International Council for Education of People with Visual Impairment (ICEVI), Professor and Associate Dean, Pennsylvania College of Optometry

Abstract: An essay competition is being held to identify participants for the International Congress for Blind and Partially Sighted Children in Pontevedra, Spain in March, 2008.

Key Words: blindness, visual impairment, World Blind Union (WBU), Spanish National Organisation of the Blind (ONCE), workshops, Pontevedra

Are you between 14 and 16 years old? Would you like to join other visually impaired teenagers from all over the world for five days in Spain? If so, take part in our easy-to-enter competition and you may be selected to participate in the first-ever International Congress for Blind and Partially Sighted Children in Pontevedra, Spain, in March next year.

Listening to the Children: International Congress for Blind and Partially Sighted Children in Pontevedra, Spain, March 25-29, 2008.

The congress is organized by the World Blind Union (WBU) and the Spanish National Organisation of the Blind (ONCE) in partnership with Unicef, ICEVI and Save the Children. Twenty-four visually impaired teenagers representing all six WBU regions will come together for three days of activities including:

Debates and discussions on the status of blind and partially sighted teenagers in the world today, focusing especially on education, the family and relating to your peers;
Intercultural workshops;
Recreational and sports activities;
Excursions in and around the beautiful Galician city of Pontevedra.
To enter the competition, submit an essay on one of the following by December 31, 2007:
Your life as a visually impaired teenager (in a creative form, perhaps a poem, a letter or a newspaper article);
Your experience with children’s rights in your community, country or region;
One of the three areas to be addressed during the congress (the family, education and relating to peers).

To obtain an entry form, please contact:

Beth Dennis, Blind Children’s ProgramConsultant, Texas DARS/DBS Blind Children’s Program, 512-377-0578, <beth.dennis @ dars.state.tx.us>; or
Kathleen M. Huebner, Ph.D., Professor and Associate Dean, Pennsylvania College of Optometry, Chairperson for North American and Caribbean Region of International Council for Education of People with Visual Impairment, 215-780-1360, <Kathyh @ pco.edu>.

Entries should be no longer than 1500 words and may be submitted in English or Spanish and in print, braille (grade 1), electronic format, mp3 or any other suitable format. Please indicate clearly “Listening to the Children” on the envelope if submitting by post. For more information contact the Secretary General’s Office.

Entries should be sent by post, fax or E-mail to:

Enrique Pérez, WBU Secretary General
C/o ONCE
C/ Almansa 66
28039 Madrid
Spain
Tel: + 34 91 589 45 33 Fax: + 34 91 589 47 49
E-mail: umc @ once.es

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Last Revision: December 11, 2007