The Philippines proudly hosted the 22nd World Federation of the Deaf – Regional Secretariat in Asia/Pacific (WFD-RSAP) Representative Meeting last November 25-28, 2010 at the Development Academy of the Philippines, Tagaytay City.
This gathering of representatives of Deaf organizations across Asia & Pacific Regions “is a momentous celebration of 22 years of commitment to solidarity and common causes for the welfare and advancement of the right of Deaf people…to address the pressing and pervasive challenges that are facing Deaf” as stated by Ms. Marites Raquel E. Corpus, Philippine Federation of the Deaf President, in her welcome message.
Ichiro Miyamato, WFD-RSAP Director, considered this meeting to be of utmost importance as delegates of the WFD-RSAP Youth Section and members of the World Association of Sign Language Interpreters (WASLI) Asia and Oceania who only attended as observers in previous meetings were welcomed as Representatives in their own Right.
Representatives from Australia, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, Macau, Malaysia, Mongolia, Nepal, New Zealand, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea and Thailand discussed updates on the United Nation Convention on the Rights of Person with Disabilities and participated in group meetings and plenary reports. All with the intention of promoting social awareness about Deaf persons, dissemination of sign language, training of sign language interpreters and establishment of sign language interpreter system and studying their respective government efforts on these issues
November 27, Saturday, marked the Closing Ceremonies and Dinner which was hosted by the Office of the President and Chancellor Br. Victor Franco FSC of the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (DLS-CSB) with performances by Silent Steps, the Deaf dance ambassador of the School of Education and Applied Studies of DLS-CSB.
