Benidorm adds its voice to the demands of deafblind people on their International Day in an act chaired by HM Queen Doña Letizia

Benidorm has been today the epicenter of the demands of deafblind people. The city has joined the demands of this group during the commemoration of the International Day of the Deafblind that has been held at Plaza SSMM Reyes de España. An event organized by the Federation of Deafblind Associations of Spain (FASOCIDE); who has presided over Her Majesty Queen Doña Letizia; and that it has closed the celebration of the V General Assembly WFDB and the XI Helen Keller World Conferences, in which 600 deafblind people from 51 countries have participated.

The act was attended by, among others, the mayor, Toni Pérez; the president of the Generalitat Valenciana, Ximo Puig; the Health Minister, Carmen Montón; the Government delegate in the Valencian Community, Juan Carlos Fulgencio; the president of the Diputación de Alicante, César Sánchez; members of the corporation; the president of the World Federation of the Deafblind (WFBD), Geir Jensen; and the president of FASOCIDE, Francisco Trigueros.

Her Majesty has affirmed that advancing the rights of deafblind people and "improving their quality of life" is a matter that "concerns us all", since "we are referring to very basic issues for the integral development of any human being " Queen Letizia detailed that "we talk about reducing vulnerabilities, achieving universal accessibility, integration and full inclusion, the recognition of deafblindness as a unique and differentiated disability, and also access to the services of guide-interpreter or mediator Communication". He thanked the latter especially for "their work", which allows deafblind people with whom they work every day to "jump over darkness and silence".

Queen Letizia thanked the mayor that Benidorm has hosted this annual meeting of the group of deafblind people, and has shown his confidence that the country and the city "have met the expectations" of the participants in the WFBD General Assembly and in the Conferences Helen Keller.

For his part, the mayor thanked the president of FASOCIDE for the election of Benidorm for the world commemoration of this International Day, which has allowed the city during "days of intense work" to "know the challenges and opportunities" that have in front of the members of this group.

Pérez indicated that during the eight days that this global meeting has lasted, its participants have known "the sustainable, compact, friendly and accessible city" and also "the soul of Benidorm, our people, and everything that this city offers". On behalf of Benidorm, he transferred to the collective that "we started a trip together".

Both the president of the WFBD and FASOCIDE thanked HM Queen Letizia for "her support" and for being the honorary president of these Helen Keller Conferences. Conferences that, according to Trigueros, have shown that "we are capable of leading our own struggle".

Within this act, representatives of different international and national entities of deafblind people have read together a manifesto in which, among other issues, they have claimed "Public Administrations" to the "urgent" recognition of deafblindness as a unique disability with the category of law, which guarantees the full enjoyment of our rights ", and also" the effective application of our right to have the professional / interpreter and mediator to guarantee our right to communicate. " They have also demanded "an official census to know the number of people affected by deafblindness", and have appealed to the "awareness and guarantee of the necessary resources to develop the programs that provide universal accessibility".

After the ceremony, Her Majesty Queen Letizia greeted all the members of the municipal corporation and discovered a plaque commemorating the celebration of the International Deafblind Day. Subsequently, she signed the Golden Book of the city, and has held two meetings with representatives of the WFBD and FASOCIDE. Some meetings in which she has been accompanied by the mayor, the President of the Generalitat and the Minister of Health. After several meetings, Her Majesty shared a relaxed meeting with the participants of the V General Assembly and the XI Helen Keller Conferences at Plaza SSMM Reyes de España.

In the Book of Honor of the city, Her Majesty has left written: "It is an honor to be in this city of Benidorm for the V General Assembly of the World Federation of Deafblind and the XI Helen Keller World Conference. My thanks for the warm welcome to all the participants. With my affection. Letizia R. "