The World Braille Day: Celebrating the Importance of Braille for the Full Realization of Human Rights of Persons with Disabilities

Audio Version

The World Braille Day: Celebrating the Importance of Braille for the Full Realization of Human Rights of Persons with Disabilities – in Maynooth University, Ireland.
Voiced by Hilary Hooks.

A Digital Bounce for ALL?

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Authors: Deirdre Desmond, Delia Ferri and Mac MacLachlan; ALL Institute Co-Directors

Picture of the three ALL Institute Co-Directors in front of a white back drop. From left to right: Deirdre Desmond, Mac MacLachlan, Delia Ferri
Deirdre Desmond, Mac MacLachlan and Delia Ferri, ALL Institute Co-Directors

“Life is not a series of gig lamps symmetrically arranged; life is a luminous halo, a semi-transparent envelope surrounding us from the beginning of consciousness to the end” Virginia Wolf, ‘Modern Fiction’, 1921.

2020 was certainly a difficult year for many of us, both on personal and work levels, and, despite these challenges, it is noteworthy that the work of the ALL Institute has not only proceeded, but also the commencement of several research projects ensure that we will continue to contribute in many respects to the building of a fairer society. In the past three years, and more so in 2020, we have endeavoured to reach out to different communities and stakeholders at the local, European and global levels. We also launched this blog on the 3rd December 2020, a particularly significant date, the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, to signal our commitment towards inclusion and equality.

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The World Braille Day: Celebrating the Importance of Braille for the Full Realization of Human Rights of Persons with Disabilities

Social Structures

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Author: Silvia Favalli, Post-doctoral research fellow in International law – University of Pavia (Italy)

Two hands reading a braille script.
Stock image from: https://www.awarenessdays.com/awareness-days-calendar/world-braille-day-2021/

Since 2019, World Braille Day celebrates the significance of Braille as a means of communication and a gateway to realize human rights of persons who are blind or partially sighted. This day commemorates the birthday of its inventor, Louis Braille, born in France in 1809.

Braille is a tactile writing and reading system and consists of the representation of alphabetic and numerical symbols using six dots. The dot patterns are assigned to each letter and number, but they represent musical, mathematical and scientific symbols as well. It also allows users to develop an understanding of the formal structure of language, such as spacing, formatting and grammar.

Braille has been a key tool for persons who are blind or partially sighted to exercise their rights since it was first developed in the XIX century. In particular, Braille is crucial in the context of education, to allow freedom of expression and opinion and, more broadly, to enhance social inclusion, as reflected in the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4, which focuses on inclusive and equitable quality of education and promotion of lifelong learning opportunities for all.

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Happy 72nd Anniversary, UDHR!

Social Structures

Author: Irene Spigno, General Director of the Inter-American Academy of Human Rights-Autonomous University of Coahuila

On December 10, 1948, the General Assembly of the United Nations, with Resolution 217 A (III), proclaimed the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR).

The Declaration is a landmark document in the history of human rights: for the first time, fundamental human rights were enshrined in a written document.

Drawn up by representatives of all regions of the world with different legal and cultural backgrounds, the Declaration was proclaimed as a common ideal for all peoples and nations.

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Commemorating Human Rights Day

Social Structures

Author: Dr Laura Serra. Postdoctoral researcher reCreating Europe. All Institute. Department of Law, Maynooth University

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Today, 10th of December, we are commemorating the day in which the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly. Today is Human Rights Day!

Human Rights are universal, indivisible, interdependent and interrelated. Yet, in the twenty-first century, billions of people around the world remain on the margins of society, facing multiple Human Rights violations. For this reason, it is essential not only to commemorate the 10th of December but also to remind us how much remains to be done.

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I do not volunteer. I am a volunteer.

Stories/Lived Experience

Author: Dr. Emma Smith, Postdoctoral Researcher, AT2030, ALL Institute, Department of Psychology, Maynooth University

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A few weeks ago, I was asked by a fellow volunteer, “Why do you do this?” My answer wasn’t eloquent and was far from complete. I talked about my passion for the cause (that seems to be a given). I spoke about having a skillset I felt I could contribute to help build community. I talked about getting more from the organizations I work with than I ever put in. However, as the weeks have passed, I’ve realized it’s deeper than that – not everyone with passion and a skillset contributes as a volunteer. They contribute to their communities in other ways – they go above and beyond in their work lives, they raise incredible kids who inspire a generation, and they are committed friends and family members.

What is it that makes a volunteer?

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Welcome to Ideas in ALL – Easy to Read Version

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Easy to Read Version

Welcome to the blog of the ALL Institute – in Maynooth University, Ireland.

Map of Ireland

We are researchers and we work at a university in Ireland.

We have created this blog.

A blog is a website that is updated often with ‘posts’.

Posts are articles or videos on a website.

Each part of the blog is written by a different researcher.

The name of our blog is “Ideas in ALL”.

We want to use the blog to:

  • tell you what we do
  • tell you about new ideas, and
  • comment on what is happening in the world now.
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