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Strengthening networks at the regional
level has been a priority for ICEVI during the last six months, and the
seven regions have made rapid progress in developing new projects focussed
on ICEVIs mission.
The Africa
region conducted its first regional committee meeting from 17 to 19 February
2003 in Nairobi. The meeting was attended by all members of the committee
and the Secretary General was also present throughout the meeting. Recognising
the importance of bringing together the representatives of the sub-regions
for this vital event, Sight Savers International in Africa supported the
travel and hospitality cost of the members who attended this meeting.
Besides finalizing project proposals for the Lee foundation Grant, the
Nairobi meeting developed plans for sub-regional meetings as a first step
towards the development of sub-regional networks to establish and support
educational services for children with visual impairment. The first sub-regional
committee meeting was that of the Southern Africa region held in Stellenbosch,
South Africa, from 25 to 26 March 2003. The members who attended the meeting
developed action plans in areas such as capacity building and lobbying
education policy makers. The Africa Regional Committee is also launching
sub-regional committees in the Eastern Region and the Western Region as
part of its strategy to consolidate ICEVIs influence in this vast continent.
The East Asia
region was rocked during the first part of 2003 with the outbreak of SARS.
As a result the proposed meetings of the Regional Committee could not
be held during this period. However, committee members were contacted
through electronic media and encouraged to implement ICEVI activities,
and in particular the Lee Foundation developments in the region. The President
of ICEVI undertook an extensive tour in the region from May 20 to June
15, 2003 and spoke about ICEVI activities with the representatives of
Governments, voluntary organizations, funding agencies etc., in Thailand,
Cambodia, Vietnam and Philippines. The President and the Secretary General
also had a meeting at Ratchasuda College, Bangkok on 24 May 2003 regarding
the ON-NET/ICEVI mathematics project which will provide a range of teaching
resources for teachers of visually impaired children in the East Asia
region in the near future. The region is proposing to organize its regional
committee meeting for the month of August when the plan of action for
the region will be finalised.
The Europe
region has already published its second newsletter of the quadrennium,
and the regional committee held its second meeting on 15 to 18 May 2003
in Ambares, France. A number of issues such as membership, plans for a
European Conference, teacher training, special interest groups and publications
were discussed, and the committee resolved to strengthen its links with
the European Blind Union. ICEVI Europe is also planning teacher training
workshop to be held in Dortmund sometime between April and July 2004 to
coincide with the next meeting of the Regional Committee.
The Latin America
region has already started implementing its ICEVI projects and is collaborating
with various Government Agencies, CBM and voluntary bodies. ONCE has expressed
interest in working with ICEVI to support activities in the Latin America
region. In the last three months, capacity building and awareness programmes
were organised in El Salvador, Honduras, Mexico, Argentina, Bolivia, Chile,
Paraguay, etc. The Latin America Region has a well established regional
network and regular planning meetings are taking place at the sub-regional
levels.
In the North
America and Caribbean Region, personnel preparation remains a top
priority. The region is continuing its collaboration with AFB, Lighthouse
International, RNIB (UK), RVIB (Australia), Hadley School and CNIB. The
region has also prepared a position paper regarding training issues in
the United States of America. Two goals of the strategic Plan of ICEVI
- namely information and training-feature in strengthening the activities
of the region. Recently the region organised a conference call among its
members and is working on a white paper identifying the actual number
of teachers needed in the three sub-regions. This information will be
put on the web by early winter 2003.
The Pacific
region conducted its first regional committee meeting of the quadrennium
on January 14, 2003 at Gold Coast, Brisbane, Australia. The regional committee
meeting provided an opportunity to strengthen collaboration between ICEVI
and the South Pacific Educators of the Visually Impaired (SPEVI). The
Secretary General also attended this meeting and represented ICEVI at
the Biennial conference of SPEVI. ICEVI also sponsored a preconference
workshop on 11 and 12 January 2003 for 8 delegates from the Pacific Islands
and the workshop included subjects such as the education of children with
low vision, orientation and mobility and teaching mathematics. Delegates
from Fiji, Soloman Islands, Papua New Guinea, Cook Islands, Samoa and
Kiribati attended the workshop. The work of ICEVI in East Timor was also
presented during the regional workshop.
West Asia
is one of the largest ICEVI regions and contains a substantial number
of persons with visual impairment. The last six months have seen successful
networking with Govt. agencies, voluntary bodies and funding agencies
to realise the vision and mission of ICEVI. The official launch of the
Lee Foundation Projects took place at the Blind Peoplesí Association
(BPA), Ahmedabad on 21 June 2003 and was attended by Hon. Minister for
Social Justice, Govt. of Gujarat, Board of BPA, ICEVI Secretary, and Secretary
General. West Asia successfully launched most of its Lee Foundation projects
during the period January - June 2003. Country level meetings were conducted
by the Regional Chairperson in India and Bangladesh. The Region has been
able to involve ICEVI in policy making programmes at Governmental level.
The region has also conducted discussions with organizations in India,
Bangladesh and Sri Lanka to plan a joint regional conference of ICEVI
and Deaf-blind International in the near future. |