June is Deafblindness Awareness Month—a time to celebrate the diversity, achievements, and leadership of persons with deafblindness, while continuing to raise awareness of the barriers they face and the importance of building a more accessible and inclusive world.
This year’s Awareness Month held special significance as communities around the world marked the International Day of Deafblindness on 27 June, following its historic recognition by the United Nations General Assembly. To date, 99 UN Member States have supported this important initiative, demonstrating a growing global commitment to recognising deafblindness as a distinct disability and promoting the rights of persons with deafblindness.
Throughout the month, the World Federation of the Deafblind (WFDB) shared stories, messages, educational materials, and videos highlighting the experiences, leadership, and diversity of the global deafblind community. Deafblind persons from different countries shared their perspectives, reminding us that accessibility is not a privilege—it is a fundamental requirement for equal participation in society.
The month also provided an opportunity to celebrate the invaluable contributions of families, interpreters, professionals, volunteers, organisations, and allies who work alongside persons with deafblindness to build more inclusive communities. Progress is achieved through partnership, mutual respect, and the determination to ensure that no one is left behind.
As we conclude Deafblindness Awareness Month, we extend our sincere gratitude to everyone who participated in our campaign, shared our messages, attended events, and helped raise awareness in their communities. Every conversation, every shared story, and every act of advocacy brings us one step closer to a world where persons with deafblindness can participate fully and equally.
We also warmly thank the 99 countries whose support helped make the recognition of the International Day of Deafblindness possible. This milestone reflects years of collective advocacy by organisations, governments, civil society, and countless individuals committed to advancing the rights of persons with deafblindness around the world.
Although June has come to an end, our work continues. Awareness is not limited to one month—it is a commitment we carry forward every day.
We invite you to revisit our Deafblindness Awareness Month campaign, explore the stories shared by deafblind persons from around the world, and continue helping us spread awareness by following WFDB on our social media channels.
Together, we continue building a world where persons with deafblindness are visible, included, and heard.