Dear Members of ICEVI-Europe,
As a member of the European Coalition
for Vision (ECV) and in light of ECV's World Sight Day social media
campaign, we are forwarding you the below Press Release in support of
the Marrakesh Treaty.
It is our hope you will find it interesting to
read and more importantly show your support for the Marrakesh Treaty by
re tweeting or writing your own message of support.
Thank you very much
for attention and cooperation.
Sincerely,
Panagiota (Betty) Leotsakou
President of ICEVI-Europe
EUROPEAN COALITION FOR VISION BACKS
MARRAKESH TREATY
The European Coalition for Vision (ECV) has warmly
endorsed the Marrakesh Treaty on accessible reading materials and
congratulated the World Blind Union and World Intellectual Property
Organization on their campaign to get all countries to ratify the
treaty.
The Marrakesh Treaty to Facilitate Access to Published Works
for Persons Who Are Blind, Visually Impaired, or Otherwise Print
Disabled received the support of 20 countries, enabling it to be adopted
on 30 September 2016. However the European Union and individual member
states are still seeking to resolve whether the EU can ratify the treaty
on behalf of all member states or whether each member state needs to
ratify it separately.
Speaking for the Coalition, ECV Chair David
Hewlett said: "Books open windows on the world for everyone, so this is
an issue of equality and fairness. We urge our European governments to
ratify the treaty with the minimum of delay. We are delighted to
highlight and support the Treaty as the ECV, along with other champions
for eye health and equality around the world, promotes World Sight Day
this Thursday, 13 October."
Bob Chappell, ECV member for the European
Council for Optometry and Optics (ECOO) and Chair of the ECV's Healthy
and Active Ageing work-stream, said: "We applaud the hard work of the
WBU and WIPO to facilitate access to published works for people who are
blind, visually impaired, or otherwise unable to read printed materials.
This is key to independence and healthy and active ageing: Europe should
be at the forefront of those taking action."
END
Notes for Editors
The ECV is an alliance of professional bodies, patient groups, NGOs,
disabled people's organisations, trade associations representing
suppliers and research groups in the eye health sector in Europe. It
works to raise the profile of eye health and vision, help prevent
avoidable visual impairment and secure an equal and inclusive society
for those with irreversible blindness or low vision in Europe.
The ECV
is running a social media awareness campaign in support of World Sight
Day on 13 October. For more information visit www.ecvision/WSD2016-1 [1]
The World Blind Union (WBU) is the global organisation representing
the estimated 285 million people worldwide who are blind or partially
sighted. Members are organisations of and for the blind in 180
countries, as well as international organisations working in the field
of vision impairment.
The World Intellectual Property Organization
(WIPO) is the global forum for forum for intellectual property services,
policy, information and cooperation
Links:
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[1]
http://www.ecvision/WSD2016-1
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