Press
Release
New Delhi Dated:
18.12.2018
United Nations Declares January 4 as “World
Braille Day”
The United Nations General Assembly has
passed a Resolution on 17th December, 2018 designating Louis
Braille’s Birth Anniversary, January 4, as “World Braille Day”. The purpose of the Resolution is to raise
awareness about the importance of Braille and to promote its use for the
benefit of visually impaired persons worldwide.
The movement for securing UN recognition for
the Day was spearheaded by the World Blind Union (WBU), the global organization
of the blind. It was at its fifth
General Assembly held in Melbourne, Australia in 2000, that WBU had itself
officially declared 4th January as World Braille Day and called upon
the UN to do likewise. The efforts of
WBU have now been crowned with success.
In his message from the UN Head Quarters in
New York City, the WBU President, Dr. Fredric K. Schroeder (from U.S.) has
observed: “this is wonderful achievement especially because Braille is the
means of literacy for blind people.
Literacy is the foundation of education and the foundation of full
integration for the visually impaired”.
Secretary General of WBU, Mr. A.K. Mittal
(from India) has commented: “this is great news. Braille will remain the doyen
of systems for giving to the visually impaired access to knowledge which is the
main source of empowerment.”
We sincerely hope that this declaration by
the UN will further encourage our Government’s efforts to provide meaningful
education in Braille for blind children and enable them to get much easier and
faster access to reading material in Braille and necessary assistive
devices.
(J.L. KAUL)
SECRETARY
GENERAL
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