The Year 2000 started with the hosting of the Joint Asia Regional Conference of the ICEVI and the Deaf Blind International at the Blind People's Association, Ahmedabad, India from February 8 to 12, 2000. Over 300 delegates participated in this conference and it was a demonstration of how international organisations could work together for a common cause. Though it was the conference of the Asia Region, representatives from all over the world attended this memorable event. Unlike other conferences, the Asia Region conference 2000 took a stock of the progress made in the region since the Asia Region Conference held in 1995. This introspection enabled the countries in the Asia Region to plan realistic goals for the future. Four country representatives in the region also attended the conference and therefore, the occasion was used for consolidating the future regional activities of the member countries.
As a result, the country representatives have initiated several developmental activities since February 2000. In Bangladesh, a national advocacy programme on "Promotion of better services for visually impaired persons in Bangladesh - Initiative of ICEVI" will be organised in early 2001 for 70 representatives from Non-Governmental Organisations and 10 from the Department of Education and Social Welfare. Elaborate arrangements are being made for hosting this national event which will be used as a forum to highlight the ICEVI activities in Bangladesh. An orientation course on education of low vision will also be jointly organised by ICEVI and Baptist Sangha School for Blind Girls, Dhaka in March 2001.
In Nepal, a workshop on teaching methods was organised from 5 to 13 November 2000, which was attended by 24 teachers who are visually impaired. The Regional Chairperson was also on the faculty in conducting the programme. A workshop for another 20 teachers was organised from 24 to 28 December 2001, which was followed by a national convention of resource teachers organised on 30 - 31 December 2001 at Patan. Leading professionals from Nepal and expatriate staff took part in this programme. There is also a proposal of bringing out small leaflets on education of children with visual impairment and the role of ICEVI in enriching educational experiences of these children. The Regional Chairman of the ICEVI represented ICEVI - Asia Region at the Asia Regional CBR Network Conference in Kathmandu from 6 to 8 November 2000. He made a presentation on Inclusive Education in the Asia Region and also highlighted the role of ICEVI in expanding services to these children.
Though planned programmes in Sri Lanka, particularly a three-day workshop on Low Vision could not be organised. A Sports-Meet for persons with disabilities, which was planned earlier could not be held due to the situation in the country. These activities will be taken up in 2001.
In research areas too, ICEVI is trying to collaborate with national organisations. The ICEVI India Chapter in collaboration with the National Institute for the Visually Handicapped will be developing contractions for Bengali language. The country representative Sri C.D. Tamboli is the Principal Investigator of this project which will be completed in 2002. A national workshop on "Information Technology for Persons with Visual Impairment" was organised on December 22-23, 2000 at New Delhi in collaboration with the National Association for the Blind, New Delhi. This workshop was attended by the Secretary, Rehabilitation Council of India, and also representatives from the National Institute of Educational Planning and Administration and other University Departments. Similar exercise will be organised at different parts of India in 2001. The India - Country Representative organised a workshop on teaching mathematics from 26 to 31 December 2001 for 35 teachers drawn from special schools and teacher preparation institutes. The workshop has generated interest among the teachers for teaching mathematics and abacus, which was neglected in most schools. Similar programmes are also planned for 2001 for different regions of the country.
The ICEVI in collaboration with Sri Ramakrishna Mission Vidyalaya College of Education, Coimbatore has prepared low cost teaching materials for teaching concepts in Chemistry, Physics, Biology, and Mathematics to children with visual impairment. These teaching materials will be demonstrated in the subject-related workshops to be conducted in the Asia Region in 2001.
The country representatives are being encouraged to organize at least one national conference during the Quinquennium to spread the message of ICEVI. The Standing Committees on specific thrust areas are needed in the Asia Region to effectively plan and work together. Such committees will be formed in the near future.
The Regional Chairman represented the ICEVI in many national level meetings. He also represented ICEVI at the World Bank Consultation meetings on Education held in New Delhi in March and April 2000. As a member of the General Council, he attended the meetings of the Rehabilitation Council of India. It is gratifying that the Rehabilitation Council of India has included ICEVI in its reconstituted committee on visual disability for the period 2001-2002.
The Regional Committee meeting of ICEVI - Asia Region will be held on April 8, 2001 in New Delhi (tentative).
In short, the Asia Regional Conference of ICEVI has expanded the visibility of ICEVI in the region and we are creating network with various organizations to help more persons with visual impairment.
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