Mabel Asensi, a deafblind person, Sonja Tarczay, EDbU chair and Ricard López, EDbN chair
During the 9th DbI European conference on deafblindness, the chair of the EDBN, Ricard López, called several network meetings that were really successful. One of those meetings was with the chair of the European Deafblind Union (EDBU) Sanja Tarczay. The meeting was called with intent to start working together EDBN and EDBU. EDBN is the European association of parents and carers of deafblind people and EDBU is the European association of deafblind people. The fact that deafblind people are deprived of the two most important senses makes them very dependent on their families, that is why the parents and carers associations are also very important.
As a result of the meeting two projects were planned. The first one is an “Info day” in the European Parliament. It has not been decided exactly when, but during 2018 there will be an “Info day” in Brussels about the use of the “red and white cane”.
The second project is to peregrinate to Santiago de Compostela with a group of deafblind people and some volunteers. This peregrination was achieved twice before, first in 2015 and then last year, when 5 deafblind people walked the last 100km of the Camino de Santiago. That was a great achievement also, because people from Hungary and Scotland participated as well in this peregrination. This project intends to repeat this achievement and also, to make it bigger.
In 2018 it will be not only an international peregrination to Santiago de Compostela, but also a simultaneous peregrination to sacred places in different countries around the world. In Poland, they will do the peregrination to Jasna Góra monastery in Częstochowa, in Argentina they will peregrinate until Nuestra Señora de Lujan and in Brasil they will walk until Morro Pan de Azúcar. At first, it was supposed to take place in September but that would be difficult because of the great amount of conferences and activities. So finally, it will take place at the beginning of July from 2nd until 8th (Save the date!!), right after June 27th as it is the International Deafblindness day. EDBN has asked the Russian Deaf-blind Support Fund So-Edinenie to give support to some families of deafblind children and deafblind adults as well to give them the opportunity to go to Spain and to participate in this peregrination.
Please visit http://2s4db.org for more information.
We will do our best to make this projects happen.