Lost In Translation conference December 2012

On Monday 3 December 2012, RNIB NI held a one day conference at the Waterfront, Belfast - entitled 'Lost In Translation?: Towards The Construction Of A Public Policy Framework That Works for blind and partially sighted people In Northern Ireland.

Campaigns Manager Harry Reid said, "For too long now people with sight loss have, ironically, been an invisible group, whose needs have been neglected, and rights ignored. Today marks the moment when this starts to change. So that the future can be one in which they are accorded their full and equal rights as citizens."

Held on International Day of Persons with Disabilities 2012, this event was designed to ignite debate about how the forthcoming Disability Action Plan under the Northern Ireland Executive's Disability Strategy - yet to be published - can best be combined with the UK Vision Strategy and the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

The delivery of public policy in Northern Ireland must guarantee that the rights, needs and life chances of blind and partially sighted people, are upheld, met and radically enhanced.

Conference highlights

• Three thought provoking keynote critiques of the current situation in NI, and analysis of what steps need to be taken next;

• Workshops for participants to identify an agenda for progressive change based on achievable concrete actions;
• A discussion, with audience interaction, anchored by BBC Northern Ireland's Noel Thompson which featured a panel of people with sight loss together with key figures from the worlds of equality enforcement promotion, journalism and the NI Assembly;
• An informal reception concluded proceedings, to afford opportunities for networking.

Harry Reid Continued, "This conference is about exploring realistic and practical changes that can pave the way towards justice for all people with sight loss.
To this end, we welcome the commitment from the Assembly to make Northern Ireland 10 times better for the blind and partially sighted community."

Conference programme

Download a Lost In Translation conference programme (Word, 160kb)

If you wish to know more about this conference, contact the RNIBNI Campaigns team on:
Tel: 028 9033 4114

Find us on Facebook