[Nfbf-l] Statement of the World Blind Union to the WIPO GeneralAssembly September 26, 2013

[Don Wilkerson]

Alan, thank you so much for keeping us informed in whats going on in the 
blind community, your work is appreciated by this person.
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Alan Dicey" <adicey at bellsouth.net>
To: <Undisclosed-Recipient:;>
Sent: Friday, September 27, 2013 1:38 AM
Subject: [Nfbf-l] Statement of the World Blind Union to the WIPO 
GeneralAssembly September 26, 2013


> Date: September 26, 2013 at 1:01:34 PM PDT
> Statement of the World Blind Union to the WIPO General Assembly
> FYI,
> Please read below the statement from the World Blind Union before the 
> United Nations World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) September 
> 26 in New York City on the treaty for the visually impaired signed in late 
> June of this year, with more details about the next steps required by 
> countries to implement the treaty.
>
> Statement of the World Blind Union to the WIPO General Assemblies 2013 
> delivered by Christopher Friend       September 26, 2013
>
> Having been a regular attendee at the  WIPO General Assemblies and the 
> Standing Committee on Copyright and Related Rights for the past six years, 
> and as a blind person myself, it gives me great pleasure to represent the 
> World Blind Union - WBU - to bring this short message to this meeting.
>
> On behalf of all blind and print disabled readers around the world,  WBU 
> wishes to express its sincere appreciation to the WIPO Member States and 
> the Secretariat for giving us the Marrakech Treaty.
>
> Most of you attending this Assembly will know of the wonderful news from 
> Marrakech, in June, that an historic Treaty was agreed to help end the 
> book famine faced by visually impaired and other print disabled people.
>
> WBU is sure that the Marrakech Treaty will significantly help in the fight 
> to end the book famine in which only a few percent of published works are 
> ever available in accessible formats visually impaired people can read 
> independently.
>
> We would like to thank most warmly all those who have contributed to the 
> successful conclusion of the Marrakech Treaty. It was an agreement that 
> many said would never happen; indeed, we also sometimes feared failure. 
> Great credit, and our heartfelt thanks, go to the Kingdom of Morocco for 
> its excellent hosting of the Diplomatic Conference; and especially to the 
> Member States and the Secretariat for working so hard throughout the two 
> weeks to achieve agreement on the Treaty text; and to our many friends and 
> supporters in the NGO community and a host of others too numerous to name.
>
> Rest assured that the World Blind Union places great importance on the 
> need to respect Rights Holders' interests, whilst using the Treaty to 
> improve the lives of the people we represent. These two goals are 
> perfectly compatible. Indeed, that is why we spent years working at WIPO 
> to achieve the Treaty we needed. We will continue to work with authors, 
> publishers and others within the intellectual property system, recognising 
> that without them, the inclusive world we aspire to will continue to elude 
> us.
>
> No agreement or law is of use unless it is implemented, and we will be 
> tireless in our efforts to ensure that the Marrakech Treaty delivers the 
> benefits it promises. To this end, WBU has already started campaigning 
> around the world for the early ratification and implementation of this 
> Treaty. It will not enter into force until 20 Member States have ratified 
> it, and the more that ratify, the more effective it will be in helping 
> print disabled people to read accessible books that have so far been 
> closed to them. WBU urges all Member States' Diplomats and Technical 
> Advisors attending this Assembly to encourage your Capitals to ensure a 
> speedy and effective ratification strategy in your countries.
>
> Again, we offer our warm thanks to all of you for helping to open a new 
> chapter in the inclusion of visually impaired and print disabled people, 
> and we look forward to working with you to realise the life-changing 
> opportunities the Marrakech Treaty promises.
>
> _______________________________________________
>
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