Department for International Affairs

Membership of Czech Blind United in the European Blind Union (EBU) represents one range of activities of the Department for International Affairs and it is fulfilling the membership duties, maintaining contacts with other EBU member countries and maintaining contact with the national organizations of the blind in the whole world. Director of the Department, Mr. Václav Polášek, was elected to the EBU Board as an ordinary member last year and takes an active part in creating the objectives and the policy of this international organization.
Usually the most interesting articles from the EBU Newsletter are translated and delivered to the editors of the ZORA magazine. Employees of the Department also give all important information about international conferences and other cultural events held by the organization of or for the blind to the colleagues from other departments who may be interested.
This year the 6th General Assembly of EBU and the 1st EBU Women´s Forum will be held in Prague from 20 to 28 November. The International department has started the preparational works already. Both events will take place in Hotel Krystal, and will be attended by leaders representing EBU, World Blind Union (WBU) and delegates from national organizations from 44 EBU member countries. An exhibition of technical devices for the visually disabled will be organized alongside the General Assembly.

International Department has entered into deeper relations with some national organizations of the blind that are mainly based on interchange of information, arrangement of recreation for the visually disabled etc. Foreign delegations are invited to visit Czech Blind United and both accommodation and interpreting is assured for them by the employees of the department.

Another range of activities is to maintain contact with European Disability Forum. It is advisable to establish one National Council of the Diabled before our country joins the European Union. This national council should fulfil the role of a national member of EDF. EDF is an international organization with its aim to advance disabled people´s human rights in all relevant institutions, international organizations and agencies of EU in accordance with the principles of non-discrimination. Important members of this organizations are besides the individual national member countries also international organizations e.g.: European Blind Union, European Federation of the Deaf, Rehabilitation International, Mobility International or Disabled People´s International. SONS was delegated by the organizations of the disabled in the Czech Republic to fulfil a role of coordinator for the Czech Republic. Mr. Václav Polášek was elected (appointed) to be a coordinator for the contact between EDF and The Board of Representatives of Organizations of Persons with Disabilities and Czech Associations of Organizations of Persons with Disabilities.

Cooperation with other institutions and organization or fundations and sponsors from abroad.