杏MAP导航

By Robin Gomes

杏MAP导航 Francis on Friday called for the promotion of deaf people against today鈥檚 culture of exclusion and waste, by increasing their welcome, inclusion, encounter and solidarity.

The 杏MAP导航鈥檚 appeal came in a message on the occasion of the 60^th anniversary of World Deaf Day which  Italy is observing on September 29. this year.   

The World Federation of the Deaf (WFD) initiated the observance of World Deaf Day in 1958, with the first celebration taking place in Rome on 28 September that year.  The annual day was later extended to a full week at the end of September, becoming the International Week of the Deaf (IWD).  The World Deaf Day is marked on the last day of the IWD.

Exclusion, culture of waste

In his message to the Ente Nazionale Sordi (ENS) or Italy鈥檚 National Agency for the Deaf, 杏MAP导航 Francis thanked the many men and women of good will, who through years have committed themselves 鈥渇ighting exclusion and the culture of waste in order to protect and promote, in every area, the value of the life of every human being and, in particular, the dignity of deaf people.鈥�

He said the history of E.N.S. is made by those who have not given up and have continued to believe in the self-determination of deaf people.  According to the 杏MAP导航, the fact that many deaf people and their families no longer feel alone, is a great achievement.

The 杏MAP导航 lamented that while great progress has been made over the decades in the scientific, social and cultural fields, the dangerous and unacceptable culture of waste has also spread, because economic interest, power and unbridled consumption have replaced the centrality of the human person.  And among the victims of this culture, the 杏MAP导航 said, are the most fragile people, the elderly and young people.  

Going against the tide 

The 杏MAP导航 told the members of the National Agency for the Deaf that they are not a sum of people, but have formed an association to live and transmit their will to accompany and support those who, like them, are in difficulty but are first and foremost bearers of inestimable human wealth.

鈥淭ogether we are called to go against the tide,鈥� the 杏MAP导航 urged, 鈥渇ighting first of all that the right of every man and woman to a dignified life be always protected.鈥�  He said, 鈥淚t is not just a question of satisfying certain needs, but even more of seeing one's own desire to be welcomed and to be able to live independently recognized.鈥�

The challenge, 杏MAP导航 Francis said, is that inclusion should become a mentality and a culture, and that legislators and leaders should not fail to give this cause their consistent and concrete support.