ONCE'S INTERNATIONAL PARTICIPATION
1.-ONCE’S INTERNATIONAL PARTICIPATION: an open organisation thriving in solidarity worldwide
Since its creation, ONCE has always been driven by solidarity; not only in our country, but also worldwide. For the past two decades it has modernised and expanded its activities, hence intensifying this process. ONCE has now become an international reference in the provision of social services for the blind and the visually impaired.
· In the context of the international representation of disabled people in general, and blind people in particular:
- ONCE has always been one of the most active members of the World Blind Union (WBU), which was created in 1984, and which has now become the voice of the blind worldwide. It currently represents more than 600 organizations and more than 175 National Member countries. Since the mid 80s, an ONCE representative has been serving as WBU Secretary General, financing all its duties, ranging from administration and representation, to those necessary for internal and external communication, publications...
- At a regional European level, ONCE has been following a similar path as a member of the European Blind Union (EBU). It has been contributing decisively to the function of EBU, its dialogue with the European Union’s institutions, the development of its action plans through the work of a large group of the institution’s professionals and, among others, the development of the international cooperation policy in other parts of the world.
- Equally at a regional level, ONCE contributed to the creation and the subsequent development of the Latin American Union of the Blind (ULAC); this part of the world has close links with Spain due to historical, linguistic and cultural reasons. Without prejudice to what will be outlined later, ULAC signed an institutional agreement with the ONCE Foundation for Solidarity with Blind People in Latin America (FOAL), for which it receives annual funding for the development of its institutional activities representing blind people in Latin America.
- ONCE’s participation with and contribution to the most relevant organisations representing people with disabilities in general is very significant. Due to geographical closeness and interests, our institution’s representatives have worked intensively within the European Disability Forum (EDF), which was created in the mid 90s and which currently acts as the voice for fifty million European citizens with a disability at the request of the European Union. As a result of the work carried out by ONCE in these and other international organisations and the large amount of work carried out with the UN, the Convention was approved. This Convention covers the rights of people with disabilities.
· In the context of international education, ONCE is taking part in the International Council for Education of People with Visual Impairment (ICEVI). ONCE is a member of its Executive Committee and one of its most important donors.
We must also highlight ONCE’s representation in international organisations such as the European Foundation Centre (EFC), the European Standing Conference of Co-operatives, Mutual Societies, Associations and Foundations (CE-CMAF), etc.
· In the context of international access to new technologies, information and culture, we take part at The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI), the European Accessible Information Network (EUAIN), and the European Institute for Design and Disability, etc.Within the new technologies’ framework, we would also like to mention the agreement ONCE and Microsoft’s presidents signed in the 1990s with the objective of tackling accessibility at the initial stages of the development of Microsoft’s new applications. This objective led ONCE experts to work with Microsoft at their USA headquarters.
- The most pioneer and symbolic project ONCE has carried out in this sector is possibly the launch in 1998 of its International Research and Development Award, which takes place every two years. ONCE has been awarding institutions and scientists who have presented the best projects in the field of new technologies developed for the blind.
- In a cultural context, we can highlight ONCE’s participation in the creation and functioning of the International DAISY Consortium. They have designed and implemented digital audio reading formats with a wide range of navigation options through the book or document, significantly reducing the size of traditional reading equipment and support·
Throughout the years this committee has been a global reference in the world of highly competitive sports, collecting many victories for our country. A clear example of this is ONCE and its foundation’s generous contribution to the organisation of the Barcelona 1992 Paralympic Games, which set an unprecedented historical milestone in the organisation of this type of event, thus establishing themselves as a reference for future Paralympic Games. As far as sports for the blind, ONCE has also decisively contributed to the International Blind Sports Federation, IBSA. Spain was responsible for IBSA’s presidency between 1993 and 2005.
2.- ONCE’s international cooperation in Europe and Africa
- ONCE has developed cooperation projects in these countries, in the field of education and in the production of Braille books and texts, in order to guarantee the right to education and access to culture. This has been achieved with the collaboration of public and private institutions in Bosnia, Serbia, Macedonia, Albania, Bulgaria and Moldavia, amongst others.
- Thanks to the collaboration of a large number of Spanish organisations, a new cooperation project for education has been created to help blind children living in Saharawi Refugee Camps. This has allowed all of them to have a right to education. Morocco, Equatorial Guinea and lusophone countries have also been favoured by our institution’s international activity.
- We must also mention Portugal, which although it is a developed country, has been subject of our collaboration for more than a decade, through the cooperation agreement signed with the national blind organisation ACAPO.
3.- ONCE in the European Union
- ONCE’s Technical Office of European Affairs, (O.T.A.E.), which has been functioning for many years now, has undertaked a proactive role regarding the framework of new developments within the European institutions, working jointly and with a coordinated approach with the Spanish Committee of Representatives of People with Disabilities (CERMI) as well as with the European Blind Union (EBU) and the European Disability Forum (EDF).
