| This following statement was issued at the 21st International Congress on Deaf Education (Milan 1880 being the 2nd) at Vancouver, Canada on Monday 19th July 2010. This was presented by the Chair of ICED, Claire Andersen to the applause and cheering of the attending Deaf delegates who had been campaigning for this for years It should be noted that it is not effectively an apology, but a regret and rejection of the eight resolutions that were passed at the Milan 1880 Congress. However, as explicitly described in The Legacy, it is sad that it has taken almost 130 years for this to come and even more sadder to those, who had suffered under the oralist regime, did not live to see this. Nevertheless to say, this finally marks the beginning of a new era and everyone are urged to explicitly endorse and publicise this statement to their respective governments, educational authorities and organisations.
A New Era: Deaf Participation and Collaboration
In partnership, the international Congress on Education for the Deaf (ICED) Vancouver 2010 Organising Committee and the British Columbia Deaf Community present the following statement of Principle.
Statement of Principle
Globally, many Deaf children encounter the general population's perception of being Deaf as one of disability. This "disability mindset" contributes directly towards the exclusion and devaluation of all people who are considered "different" including those who are Deaf. As a result, Deaf citizens in many countries are still hindered and excluded from participation in the larger society. Many are prevented from equal access to decision-making, employment opportunities, and quality education. Despite this 'disability mindset', Deaf citizens positively contribute to societies that embrace diversity and creativity. They enhance their nations in areas of education, economic activity, politics, arts and literature. For Deaf people, it is an inalienable right to be acknowledged as a linguistic and cultural minority integral to every society. Therefore, all nations are urged to recognise and facilitate participation from all its citizens, including those who are Deaf.
The resolutions of the 1880 ICED Congress in Milan
In 1880 an international congress was held in Milan to discuss education of the Deaf. At this time, the members passed several resolutions that affected the education and the lives of Deaf people around the world. The resolutions: - Removed the use of sign languages from education programmes for the Deaf around the world;
Contributed detrimentally to the lives of Deaf citizens around the world;
- Led to the exclusion of Deaf citizens in educational policy and planning in most jurisdictions of the world;
- Prevented Deaf citizens from participation in governmental planning, decision-making, and funding in areas of employment training, retraining and other aspects of career planning;
- Hindered the abilities of Deaf citizens to succeed in various careers and have prevented many of them from following their own aspirations; and
- Prevented the opportunity for many Deaf citizens to fully demonstrate their cultural and artistic contributions to the diversity of each Nation.
Therefore we:
- Reject all resolutions passed at the ICED Milan Congress in 1880 that denied the inclusion of sign languages in educational programmes for the Deaf children / students.
- Acknowledge and sincerely regret the detrimental effects of the Milan conference, and
- Call upon all Nations of the world to remember history and ensure that educational programmes accept and respect all languages and all forms of communication.
Let it be stated that we, the undersigned,
- Call upon all Nations of the world to ratify and adhere to the Principles of the United Nations, especially those outlined in the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities that state education is to be delivered with an emphasis on acquisition of language and academic, practical, and social knowledge;
- Call upon all Nations to endorse the resolutions adopted by the World Federation of the Deaf at its 15th Congress in Madrid in 2007, specifically those that promote and support equal and appropriate access to a multi-lingual, multi-cultural education,
- Call upon all Nations to include the sign languages of the Deaf citizens as legitimate languages of these Nations and to treat them as equal to those of the hearing majority;
- Call upon all Nations to facilitate, enhance and embrace their Deaf citizens' participation in all governmental decision-making process affecting all aspects of their lives;
- Call upon all Nations to involve their Deaf citizens to assist parents of Deaf infants, children and youth in the appreciation of the Deaf culture and sign languages;
- Call upon all Nations to support child centered approach in educational programmes and a family-centered approach in all support services for both Deaf and hearing family members;
- Call upon all Nations to refer all identified Deaf infants to regional and national organisations of the Deaf, schools and programmes for the Deaf for support with early intervention;
- Call upon all Nations to make every effort to ensure that their Deaf citizens obtain information about their human rights; and
- Call upon all Nations of the world to recognise and allow all Deaf citizens to be proud, confident, productive, creative and enabling citizens in their respective countries.
A signed PDF version as well as definitions of the wording can be viewed and downloaded by a link on top right. | | Download PDF ICED 2010's Milan 1880 Statement | |
