Dear friends worldwide,

I extend to you all - Deaf people, professionals both Deaf and hearing, family and friends of Deaf people, researchers and artists - a warm welcome to the most important event in the calendar of the World Federation of the Deaf (WFD) - the World Congress.

Every four years, the World Congress of the WFD provides an opportunity for exchange of information, sharing of new research and ideas, appreciation of Deaf arts and theatre, and social interaction with thousands of people from around the world. The Canadian Association of the Deaf (CAD) has agreed to organise the 14th World Congress on behalf of WFD, in the charming city of Montréal. We are still at the beginning of this new millennium, and the Congress theme of "Opportunities & Challenges in the 21st Century" promises to lead us onward, towards bigger and better things for Deaf people everywhere.

Although we still have a long way to go before we can claim true equality with hearing people, in many areas of life Deaf people are seeking more opportunities and welcoming new challenges. The Congress Commissions cover themes of importance to Deaf people and those who work and live with them. At this Congress, we have some traditional Commissions - Education, Language and Culture, Human Rights, Technology, Developing Countries and Health - and a new Commission, Community Relations. These Commissions, along with the Special Interest Groups, offer the possibility of a broad range of topics of interest to a variety of people.

Most importantly, the World Congress as a whole offers us, as a global community, the opportunity to unite in our continuing struggle for human rights; the chance to create opportunities in education, employment, technology, access to society, and indeed in every sphere of life; the challenge of bonding together as a cohesive global community not separated by race, economics, culture or language; and, finally, offers us challenges to grow as individuals and as a group, to ensure no human being is left behind as the 21st Century progresses.

Friends - come and join us in making the dream of "Opportunities & Challenges in the 21st Century" come true. Join forces with WFD, learn and grow and open doors for yourself, encourage the world to do so as well. Welcome to the 14th World Congress of the WFD in Montréal, 18-26 July 2003!!

Dr. Liisa Kauppinen
President, WFD

Download Adobe Acrobat here.