EAST WIND Official Newsletter of the World Blind Union-Asia Pacific No. 7 Contents of this issue: The Look at Our New President of The World Blind Union The New Board and Policy Council Members of Our Region First Blind Sports Association in Hong Kong Visit to Mongolian Federation of the Blind Reflections on the Commemoration of Bicentenary of Louis Braille’s Birth Historical Workshop in Papua New Guinea 3rd Asia Pacific Disability Forum: General Assembly and Conference Women in Action Sight World: Exhibition in Tokyo Exclusively for Blindness/WBUAP Fundraising Campaign for Cyclone-Hit Myanmar Coming Up From the Editor Contact Details THE LOOK AT OUR NEW THE NEW BOARD AND PRESIDENT OF THE WORLD POLICY COUNCIL IN BLIND UNION: OUR REGION Ms. Maryanne Diamond: the lady the local media in Australia named as PRESIDENT: “Sparkling Diamond” Mr. Chuji Sashida Maryanne is blind and has been all of her life. I became vision-impaired when I was 15 years She has 4 children one who is vision impaired. old. I entered school for the blind. Then I went on She was employed in the information technology to a university and studied law. Currently I am industry for many years before moving into the making researches on employment systems for community sector. She spent four years as the persons with disabilities at the institution set by Executive officer of Blind Citizens Australia, the the Japanese Government. In recent days, I am recognized representative organization of people working on topics such as Convention on the who are blind. three years as the inaugural CEO Rights of Persons with Disabilities, prohibition of of the Australian Federation of Disability disabilities discrimination, employment of Organizations, The peak organization of state and disabilities in each country, and measures for national organizations of people with disability. In expansion of job opportunities for the visually May 2007 commenced a role with Vision impaired. Australia and works as General Manager Back in 1993, I participated in an international International Programs. Vision Australia is the conference on computer technology in Malaysia. largest organization in Australia providing This provided me with an opportunity to know services to people who are blind or have low about the situation of people with vision vision. Maryanne has held a range of positions on: impairment in Asian region. Since then, I have community, local, state, national and international participated in several conferences related to boards and committees over many years. WBU and WBUAP, such as Rehabilitation and Currently she is: aboard member of ACOSS, the Employment Board, and Massage Seminar. Australian Pacific Islands Disability Support and Between 1993 and 2002, I participated in a core group member of the Australian Disability Regional NGO Network Campaign Conferences Development Consortium. held in Malaysia and Vietnam. I had great opportunities to get to know so many people. WBUAP covers broad area in the Northern and the Southern Hemisphere with different climate and environment. It also includes populous nations such as China and Indonesia. The economic situation in each country is diverse and of course, the issues carried by persons with vision impairment are wide-ranging. Our predecessors in the region have achieved a ****** lot in education, welfare and employment of visually impaired. In order to consolidate those gains acquired by our seniors, I would like to promote activities which will pave the safer and securer way for vision impaired people. he, together with the Secretary General, has Following are outlines of my objectives. visited all the 10 countries of SEARC to exchange 1. Building and strengthening the organizations of views on development and to touch base with the visually impaired people in each country. leaders in the movements of the blind. As a result 2. Enhancing activities and linkage of the three of the visit, Dato' Kula drew up the Quadrennium sub-regions of the WBUAP Plan of Action (QPA) which has been accepted by 3. Creating an independent financial resource of the WBUAP Policy Council and it is being the WBUAP vigorously pursued. (A short article on the QPA 4. Creating PR activities of the WBUAP (print, can be found elsewhere in the East Wind). electronic media) As a further commitment to the movement of 5. Convening seminars on exchanging the blind, Dato' Kula convinced the NCBM information in education, welfare and Management Board to support the running of the employment. WBU Permanent Office in Toronto with a 6. Building capacity of women and youth, who five-year pledge of US $2,500 per year. At the are going to take the leading role in the next 2007 WBUAP Mid-Term Regional Assembly generation. held in Shenzhen, China, Dato' Kula offered to 7. Working together with organization of house the WBUAP Secretariat in NCBM. This visually-impaired people in different countries in offer was made with the realisation that an order to realize the ratification of the Convention organisation without an office and paid staff to on the Rights of the Persons with Disabilities. implement its decisions and proposals, most of There may be many other issues we might them would remain on paper. encounter. To address these we will do our best. Elected the Vice-President of WBUAP on 19 In the Policy Council meeting held in November August 2008, Dato' Kula has the three main in Tokyo, we agreed with the new framework of objectives in mind: the executive board. 1. The strengthening of organisations in the For the next four years, I would like to take my WBUAP Region to better serve their blind utmost effort to protect the rights and benefits of members through the implementation of the QPA. visually impaired persons by cooperating with 2. To encourage the more developed organisations members of the board. Thank you very much! to assume heavier responsibilities in making WBUAP a stronger and resilient body that can VICE PRESIDENT: speak and act on issues affecting blind people. Dato' S. Kulasegaran 3. All decisions agreed to, and commitments made during meetings, should be taken seriously Dato' S. Kulasegaran (fondly known as Dato' so that WBUAP can be a respected and Kula) is the President of the National Council for progressive movement. the Blind, Malaysia (NCBM) which is the Dato' Kula is a Barrister-at-Law (Middle national co-ordinating body for the five major Temple, United Kingdom), an Advocate and organisations serving the blind and Solicitor in Malaysia. He is in legal practice since vision-impaired people in Malaysia. 1965, and is a Founder Partner of the legal firm Since his appointment as the Chairman of the Ranjit, Thomas and Kula. Dato' Kula and his wife, WBUAP South-East Asia Regional Committee in Datin Gisela, are blessed with five grown-up 2005, Dato' Kula is keen to assist the weaker children, four daughters and a son. countries of SEARC, and in the past few months TREASURER: Mr. Ivan Ho served as the Secretary General of Dr. Kevin Murfitt the Asian Blind Union between 1996 - 2000 when Malaysia was part of that Region. Dr Kevin Murfitt is a Lecturer at Deakin After the restructure of the two regions in 2000, University in Melbourne Australia. His specific he was elected the first SG of WBUAP, re-elected research interests revolve around diversity and in 2004 and again in 2008. employment. In addition to his World Blind As the SG of WBUAP, Mr. Ivan Ho wants to Union-Asia Pacific roles, Kevin is currently Chair see WBUAP develop into a meaningful and of Vision Australia, Australia’s largest blindness progressive movement of the blind, able to act and low vision service provider, and a Director on effectively as a regional body, to tackle the many the Disability Services Board of the Victorian issues confronting the blind. He realises the job of State Government. Kevin lost his sight in his mid SG is tough and demanding, but he believes that 20’s after a penetrating eye injury, so he has a by working together as a team, he can contribute personal and professional perspective on the something to the mission and vision of WBUAP. impact of blindness, and the challenges and He hopes one day, perhaps within these four solutions to accommodating impairment and years, WBUAP can employ a full-time officer so achieving success. that things can progress faster. One area of life where Kevin has had Until then, he will try to carry out all the outstanding success is water-skiing. After assignments to the best of his ability. winning his first World Championship Gold Mr. Ivan Ho is married to Jill, and they have medal in France in 1993, Kevin has accumulated two grown-up children, a daughter and a son. 10 World Championship titles and two world They each have a two-year-old plus and a records in the blind skier category. He says his one-year plus daughter respectively. greatest achievement is breaking the world jump record in 2005 at the world championships in EXECUTIVE MEMBER: Belguim. He jumped 19 metres and added another Mr. Kim Mok 2 metres to the former record. Mr. Kim Mok is now working for The Hong SECRETARY GENERAL: Kong Social Service Development Foundation as Mr. Ivan Ho Tuck Choy Director (Business Development and Corporate Communications). Mr. Ivan Ho Tuck Choy is the Executive Kim is a new member from Hong Kong to Director of the National Council for the Blind, WBU family. With nomination of David Blyth, Malaysia (NCBM) since 1996. He was one of the Kim was elected as executive member of founders of the Society of the Blind in Malaysia WBUAP Committee from August 2008 to 2012.