Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Stevie Wonder Calls for International Action to Improve Information Access for Blind People

Geneva, September 20, 2010

In a "declaration of freedom for the print disabled,” the musician and UN Messenger of Peace told delegates at WIPO (World Intellectual Property Organization), “We must declare a state of emergency, and end the information deprivation that continues to keep the visually impaired in the dark.

"We must spread the word that the untapped genius of the 300 plus million who have a visual disability are in need of our love and action; today, not tomorrow, but today.”

Wonder continued, “While I know that it is critical not to act to the detriment of the authors who labor to create the great works that enlighten and nourish our minds, hearts and souls, we must develop a protocol that allows the easy import and export of copyright materials so that people with print disabilities can join the mainstream of the literate world."

WIPO member states are currently discussing the question of better access to copyright-protected works for the blind, visually impaired (VIP) and other reading-disabled persons.

See and hear Video
of this inspiring speech (about 15 minutes – well worth it!)
or copy and paste into your web browser:
http://vod.mamateam.com/vod/wipo/player.php?video=20100920_1109_512k.mp4

Summary and complete Transcript
or copy and paste:
http://www.wipo.int/pressroom/en/articles/2010/article_0035.html

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