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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>congrats bencie</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>and thanks for the text adopted. can we get the
bill that was proposed, how was it worded?</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>thanx so much</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>elena</FONT></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE
style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV
style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: black"><B>From:</B>
<A title=b.woll@CITY.AC.UK href="mailto:b.woll@CITY.AC.UK">B. Woll</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A title=SLLING-L@ADMIN.HUMBERC.ON.CA
href="mailto:SLLING-L@ADMIN.HUMBERC.ON.CA">SLLING-L@ADMIN.HUMBERC.ON.CA</A>
</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Wednesday, March 26, 2003 11:01
AM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> UK government recognises
BSL</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV align=left><BR></DIV>
<DIV align=left><BR></DIV>
<DIV align=left><FONT face=Tahoma><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">The following
is a statement issued by the British government on 18 March - an important
first step!</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=left><BR></DIV>
<DIV align=left><FONT face=Tahoma><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">You may also
find the attached transcript of a Parliamentary debate on BSL earlier this
week of interest.</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=left><BR></DIV>
<DIV align=left><FONT face=Tahoma><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Bencie
Woll</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=left><FONT face=Tahoma><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">-----------------------------</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=left><BR></DIV>
<DIV align=left><FONT face=Tahoma><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Reference CSD1803-Sign
Date 18 March 2003 Government recognition and £1 million
boost for British Sign Language The Government has today taken the formal step
of recognising British Sign Language (BSL) as a language in its own
right. It has also allocated £1 million funding for initiatives to
support the move. Following publication of the Government’s Position Statement
on British Sign Language, Secretary of State Andrew Smith told a gathering of
representatives from Deaf organisations: “What we are saying today is
important for the 70,000 or so Deaf people for whom British Sign Language is
their first or preferred language for participating in everyday life, and for
their families. But it is also important for the rest of society to understand
that BSL is a language and what this means. “Symbolism is very important of
course but the statement is about more than that. Across Government we have
taken a number of steps to increase access to BSL and we are today announcing
a £1 million programme of initiatives to support the statement.” Maria Eagle,
Minister for Disabled People, explained how the funding will be spent: “Among
our priorities are raising awareness of the communication needs of Deaf people
who use BSL and increasing opportunities for people to study BSL at a
professional level.” The British Deaf Association welcomed the
move: </SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=left><BR></DIV>
<DIV align=left><FONT face=Tahoma><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">"The British
Deaf Association, the lead organisation of Deaf sign language users, has been
campaigning for over 20 years for this decision and we are delighted to
receive the news. We are grateful to the UK Council on Deafness for the
important contribution they have made in bringing together their member
organisations to support the BDA's campaign. There is still a long way
to go before equality is achieved, but this is a milestone achievement for the
Deaf community. The BDA looks forward to working closely with the Government
on this issue." </SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=left><BR></DIV>
<DIV align=left><FONT face=Tahoma><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Notes for
Editors Full text of Position Statement on British Sign Language issued
today: </SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=left><BR></DIV>
<DIV align=left><FONT face="Antique Olive"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><I>The Government recognises that British Sign
Language (BSL) is a language in its own right regularly used by a significant
number of people. For an estimated 70,000 Deaf people it is their preferred
language for participation in everyday life. BSL is a visual-gestural language
with its own vocabulary, grammar and syntax. </I></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=left><BR></DIV>
<DIV align=left><FONT face="Antique Olive"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><I>The Government understands that people who use BSL
want their language to be protected and promoted in the same way some minority
languages are by the Council of Europe’s Charter for Regional or Minority
Languages. The Council is considering how that might be achieved for
indigenous sign languages. The Government will give careful consideration to
any proposals which the Council might make.
</I></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=left><BR></DIV>
<DIV align=left><FONT face="Antique Olive"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><I>The Government has already taken action to improve
access to BSL, for example by identifying situations where it might be
reasonable for employers and service providers to engage the services of a
BSL/English interpreter. </I></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=left><BR></DIV>
<DIV align=left><FONT face="Antique Olive"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><I>The Government will be funding a discrete programme
of initiatives to support this statement. </I></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=left></DIV>
<OL>
<LI
style="PADDING-LEFT: 0mm; MARGIN-LEFT: 1mm; COLOR: #010101; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0mm">
<DIV align=left><FONT face="Antique Olive"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">The
Council of Europe’s Charter for Regional or Minority Languages aims to
protect and promote regional and minority languages used in Europe. It was
not intended to cover indigenous sign languages.</SPAN></FONT></DIV></LI></OL>
<OL>
<LI
style="PADDING-LEFT: 0mm; MARGIN-LEFT: 1mm; COLOR: #010101; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0mm">
<DIV align=left><FONT face="Antique Olive"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">The
£1 million programme of initiatives announced today will include projects to
raise awareness of BSL particularly among employers and service providers,
to increase opportunities to study BSL to a professional level, and to
research Deaf people’s take-up and experiences of accessing services.
</SPAN></FONT></DIV></LI></OL>
<OL>
<LI
style="PADDING-LEFT: 0mm; MARGIN-LEFT: 1mm; COLOR: #010101; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0mm">
<DIV align=left><FONT face="Antique Olive"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Digital pictures from this morning’s reception for
representatives of Deaf organisations will be available on
request.</SPAN></FONT></DIV></LI></OL><BR>
<P><FONT face=Arial size=1><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt"><B>Press
office 020
7238 0866</B></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=Arial size=1><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt"><B>Out of
hours 07659
108883</B></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=Arial size=1><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt"><B>Public
enquiries 020
7712 2171</B></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=Arial size=1><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt"><B>Website </B></SPAN></FONT><A
href="http://www.dwp.gov.uk"><FONT face=Arial size=1>
<B><U>www.dwp.gov.uk</U></B></FONT></A></P>
<DIV align=left><BR></DIV>
<DIV align=left><BR></DIV>
<DIV align=left><BR></DIV>
<DIV align=left><BR></DIV>
<DIV align=left><FONT face=Arial><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">--
</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=left><FONT face=Arial><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Professor
Bencie Woll</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=left><FONT face=Arial><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Chair of Sign
Language & Deaf Studies, Department of Language and Communication
Science</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=left><FONT face=Arial><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">City
University, Northampton Square, London EC1V 0HB </SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=left><FONT face=Arial><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">+44 (0)20 7040
8354 (tel.) +44 (0)20 7040 8314 (minicom) +44 (0)20 7040 8577
(fax)</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=left><FONT face=Arial><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">b.woll@city.ac.uk
www.city.ac.uk/lcs</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<P>
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