WFD President to Keynote the 2012 NAD Conference

Submitted by NAD Conference [1] on Mon, 04/30/2012 - 16:29 Blog:

• NAD Conference [2]

The National Association of the Deaf (NAD) is pleased to announce that Colin Allen, president of the World Federation of the Deaf (WFD) will be the keynote speaker during the Opening Ceremonies of the 51st Biennial NAD Conference, July 3-7, 2012 in Louisville, KY.

WFD President Allen was elected by delegates to the WFD General Assembly just prior to the World Congress of the WFD held July 2011 in Durban, South Africa. Mr. Allen, who is from Australia, has worked extensively over the years with the WFD both as a board member and a project coordinator. He has been involved in various development cooperation projects all over the world and led local and national deaf associations in Australia. Previously he was actively involved in camp activities of the World Federation of the Deaf Youth Section. Currently Mr. Allen serves as the Director of Services for the Deaf Society of New South Wales.

“We are deeply honored to welcome WFD President Colin Allen and members of the WFD Board to the 51st Biennial NAD Conference,” said NAD President Bobbie Beth Scoggins. “It is a privilege to have the opportunity to serve as host for and partner with WFD in celebration of its 100th Board meeting, a historic milestone.”

The WFD Board meets from June 29 to July 3 just prior to the start of the NAD Conference, after which time they will have the opportunity to mingle and meet with Conference and DeaFestival attendees all week.  WFD President Colin Allen will lead a workshop with WFD Board members on the global significance of the WFD and its work on Wednesday, July 4, and WFD Vice President Wilma Newhoudt-Druchen will provide a briefing on United Nations Convention on Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) on Thursday, July 5.

 The 51st Biennial NAD Conference, with the theme of “Nothing About Us, Without Us!” will be held at the Hyatt Regency Louisville and the Kentucky International Convention Center. Workshops, plenaries, exhibits, and traditional events such as the NAD College Bowl, Miss Deaf America Ambassador Competition are on the schedule along with Opening Ceremonies at a baseball game, 4th of July Kentucky Association of the Deaf steamboat benefit cruise and a NAD Benefit BBQ on the closing day of the Conference and DeaFestival.  For the first time, the NAD is partnering with the famed DeaFestival Kentucky, which will bring deaf performing and visual artists -- a feast for the eyes!

The National Association of the Deaf (NAD) is the nation's premier civil rights organization of, by and for deaf and hard of hearing individuals in the United States of America. Established in 1880, the NAD was shaped by deaf leaders who believed in the right of the American deaf community to use sign language, to congregate on issues important to them, and to have its interests represented at the national level. These beliefs remain true to this day, with American Sign Language as a core value.

The advocacy scope of the NAD is broad, covering a lifetime and impacting future generations in the areas of early intervention, education, employment, health care, technology, telecommunications, youth leadership, and more – improving the lives of millions of deaf and hard of hearing Americans.  

On the international front, the NAD represents the United States of America to the World Federation of the Deaf (WFD), an international human rights organization.

The NAD is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization supported by the generosity of individual and organizational donors, including corporations and foundations.

For further information about the Conference, please visit, www.nad.org/louisville [3].