Posted by Sudbury Northern Life
In 2009, CNIB and Braille200 will join organizations around the world in celebrating the 200th anniversary of Louis Braille's birth.
Braille, born on January 4, 1809, in Coupvray, France, invented the raised dot code that bears his name. In so doing, he made it possible for millions of people living with vision loss around the world to read and write alongside their sighted counterparts.
Canadian festivities will begin with a birthday bash in Braille's honour, hosted by CNIB in Toronto on Jan. 16.
The event will kick off a year of celebrations that will
include braille exhibits at the Canada Museum of Science and
Technology in Ottawa and La Grande Bibliothèque in Montreal,
educational and awareness programs such as library reading
series and
read-a-thons, and various braille competitions including a
special international essay competition around the theme
"Technology as a Bridge to Braille Literacy."
"Being able to read and write enables all individuals to communicate in today's world at a higher level," says Euclid Herie, chair of Braille200 and president of the World Braille Foundation, in a release.
"For those with vision loss, braille equals literacy.
Braille can open the door of opportunity on many levels from
finding meaningful employment to living full, productive and
culturally-rich lives. For this reason, the 200th anniversary
of Louis Braille's birth is a momentous occasion which we
are proud to acknowledge and
celebrate in Canada."
The Jan. 16 kick-off celebration will also feature the launch of two major Canadian contributions to the Braille bicentennial. Award-winning singer-songwriter Terry Kelly will give a debut performance of "Merci Louis," a song he has written specially for the occasion.
Kelly, best known for his Remembrance Day ballad "A Pittance of Time," is himself blind and serves as Chair of the Canadian Braille Literacy Foundation.
Celebrating Braille: A Canadian Approach, the first Canadian Braille textbook produced in almost 50 years, will also be unveiled on Jan. 16.
Written by Myra Rodriques, Florence Carter and Rosie Zampese, the textbook guides new readers through a step-by-step approach to learning braille, using Canadian content and up-to-date vocabulary from "Iqaluit" to "iPod."
"Braille's longevity is a testament to its versatility and success in offering those of us who cannot see a gateway to higher learning and achievement," says Jim Sanders, President & CEO, CNIB. "In this digital age, braille is more relevant than ever before, but we are still far from achieving true equality when it comes to the availability of reading materials in braille. That's why CNIB is committed to playing a leadership role in promoting braille literacy, teaching, learning and access."
Further information on the Braille200 anniversary celebrations planned across Canada can be found by visiting www.cnib.ca or www.braille200.ca .
About Braille
Braille is not a language but a code by which all languages may be written and read. It is a system of touch reading and writing that uses raised dots to represent the letters of the print alphabet for people who are blind or have vision loss. Louis Braille invented the six-dot braille system at the age of 15 while a student at the Royal Institution for Blind Youth in Paris.
Dissatisfied with the raised letter, coded system used to promote literacy for students with vision loss, Braille created his own system of six dots that can be read with one's fingertips. Today, the braille code is used in practically every country around the world.
About CNIB
CNIB is a nationwide, community-based, registered charity committed to public education, research and the vision health of all Canadians. CNIB provides the services and support necessary to enjoy a good quality of life while living with vision loss.
Through advocacy work and a world-renowned library, CNIB is working to give Canadians living with vision loss access to the alternative format reading materials they need for lifelong learning. The CNIB Library contains more than 80,000 titles in braille, printbraille and talking book format, descriptive videos, newspapers and magazines as well as telephone, reference and online services. To find out more, visit www.cnib.ca or call 1-800-563-2642.
About Braille200
Braille200 is the Canadian banner under which bicentenary celebrations are being planned and organized by the World Braille Foundation (WBF) in cooperation with CNIB, the World Blind Union, the Canadian Braille Literacy Foundation, the Canadian Braille Authority, Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec and other literacy groups in Canada.
Chaired by Euclid Herie, CM, President of WBF, a group of
prominent Canadians drawn from the braille community is working
to ensure Canada assumes a leadership role in
promoting braille literacy, teaching, learning and access to
braille materials. Visit
www.braille200.ca
to learn more about Louis Braille and celebrations of his
bicentenary in Canada and around the world.
