WFDB at the Global Disability Summit 2025

The World Federation of the Deafblind (WFDB) had a strong and visible presence at the Global Disability Summit (GDS), which took place on 2–3 April 2025 in Berlin, Germany. The Civil Society Forum, held on 1 April, served as a pre-summit gathering for civil society actors. The Summit was co-hosted by the International Disability Alliance (IDA), the Government of Germany, and the Government of Jordan, bringing together over 4,500 participants from 100 countries. The event led to more than 800 new commitments from governments, development agencies, private sector actors, and civil society.

More details are available on the official website: https://www.globaldisabilitysummit.org

We are thrilled that many WFDB representatives, members, and persons with deafblindness were present and active in this unique global platform. We would like to thank IDA and the GDS co-hosts for their support, especially the financial assistance, and for their collaboration in ensuring that the voices of persons with disabilities from all over the world were represented. We would also like to highlight the role of the guide-interpreters/interpreters for persons with deafblindness for their dedication and support. Without them, the participation of persons with deafblindness would not have been possible!

Please see more pictures at the end of the article.

WFDB representation

The WFDB delegation included:

• Sanja Tarczay, President

• Lucía D’Arino, Executive Director

• Samuel Valencia, Vice President

• Velichka Draganova, Secretary General and Regional Representative for Europe

• Riku Virtanen, Executive Committee Member

• Pere Canteys, Youth Committee Leader

Other participants with deafblindness present included:

• Miriam Torres (Venezuela)

• Enrique Ramirez (Uruguay)

• Til Apfel (Germany)

• Sricamalan “Sri” Pathmanathan (Canada)

• Yamila Guillen (Cuba)

• Emnet Ayele Kebede (Ethiopia)

• Krishnamaya Adhikari (Nepal)

• Pradeep Sinha (India)

Throughout the three days, WFDB representatives participated in various sessions and side events, while also holding bilateral meetings with members, allies, and potential partners. Below is a summary of key activities.

Day 1: Civil Society Forum (1 April 2025)

• Meeting with BAT (German Deafblind Association)
  Lucía met with Til Apfel, Board Member of Die Bundesarbeitsgemeinschaft der Taubblinden (BAT). The meeting offered a valuable opportunity to exchange updates on both organizations’ work and discuss potential avenues for collaboration and mutual support.

• Demonstration of the Reach & Match Learning Kit
  Several WFDB representatives had the opportunity to test the Reach & Match Learning Kit, a play-based educational tool that helps children of all abilities develop foundational physical, cognitive, language, and social-emotional skills. Developed by Mandy Lau, the toolkit is adapted for children with deafblindness and is a recipient of the Zero Project Award in Early Intervention and Inclusive Education.

• Sanja’s Presentation at the Closing Session
  During the Closing and Adoption of the Civil Society Declaration, Sanja Tarczay presented the Civil Society Forum Outcome Document, emphasizing the urgency of action:

  “Inclusion is not something that can be postponed. We need inclusion NOW, and it must be sustained. The UNCRPD cannot be implemented without funding. Finances must be well-planned, targeted, measurable, and accountable.”
  She added a message of resilience, stating:
  “Despite difficult times, now is not the time to be disheartened, but to be courageous.”

• Reception at the Austrian Embassy
  Sanja and Lucía attended a reception hosted by the Zero Project and the Austrian Embassy in Berlin. During the event, Sanja engaged with the Ambassador of Austria to the UN, using the opportunity to raise awareness about WFDB’s ongoing International Day of Deafblindness campaign.

Day 2 – First Day of the Global Disability Summit (2 April 2025)

• WFDB Executive Committee Meeting
  The day began with a WFDB Executive Committee meeting, held at a nearby venue. It was a valuable opportunity to align strategic priorities and coordinate advocacy efforts.

• Breakfast Event on the Right to Education
  WFDB President Sanja Tarczay attended a breakfast event at the Residence of the Swiss Embassy, focused on the Right to Education of all Children with Deafblindness. The event was co-hosted by Deafblind International (DbI) and provided an important platform to highlight inclusive education issues.

• Participation in the Official Opening Ceremony

  

  
  Sanja participated in the official opening of the Global Disability Summit as a civil society representative elected by the International Disability Alliance (IDA). Her presence underscored WFDB’s leadership in global advocacy for persons with deafblindness.

• Meeting with the Global Deaf Research Institute (GDRI)
  Executive Director Lucía D’Arino met with Dr. Lorne Farovitch, Executive Director of the Global Deaf Research Institute, to explore collaboration on improving data collection related to persons with deafblindness, in coordination with WFDB members and allies.

• High-Level Meeting with Croatian Government
  WFDB held a bilateral meeting with State Secretary Marija Pletikosa from the Government of Croatia, to continue discussions on joint efforts related to the International Day of Deafblindness campaign.

• Exchange with the Holy Land Institute for the Deaf
  Sanja and Lucía met with Jamil Khadir, Sandi Labed, Alia Khalifeh, Caroline Farjian and Asma Masadeh from the Holy Land Institute for the Deaf (HLI) in Jordan. The HLI team shared insights into their programme for children with deafblindness. It was inspiring to learn more about their work, and the meeting provided a valuable opportunity to explore potential areas for future collaboration.

Day 3: Second Day of the Global Disability Summit (3 April 2025)

• Engagement with Canadian National Society of the DeafBlind (CNSDB)

  

  Sanja and Lucía met with Sricamalan Pathmanathan from CNSDB, to exchange updates on ongoing work and discuss opportunities for future collaboration.

• Community and Visibility
  A group photo was taken with participants with deafblindness, marking a moment of solidarity, visibility, and community connection during the Summit.

• Signing of Memorandum of Understanding with RIADIS
  WFDB signed an official Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with RIADIS (the Latin American Network of Organizations of People with Disabilities and their Families), reinforcing a commitment to stronger cooperation in Latin America.

WFDB held several other meetings with UN agencies, potential donors, and partner organizations. We were pleased to connect with many of our key collaborators, including the World Federation of the Deaf, Sense International, Deafblind International, ICEVI, and others.

Post-Summit: Training on the Global Disability Inclusion Report (GDIR)

Following the Summit, a training on the Global Disability Inclusion Report (GDIR) was held. Samuel Valencia, WFDB Vice President, participated as our representative.

The goal of the training was to strengthen member advocacy around the GDIR and to build a cadre of trained advocates who can contribute to future advocacy efforts and training initiatives based on the report.

Closing Note

We extend our heartfelt thanks to all our members, partners, and friends for their active participation and continued support. The Global Disability Summit was a major step forward, and we look forward to building on this momentum together.

We hope to see you all again soon!

Pictures