International Day of Deaf People
21 September 2003
--The Morning--
| For the past two years, the Cambodian deaf community has celebrated the International Day of Deaf people (sometimes known as Deaf Awareness Day) on the last weekend of September. Similar celebrations are held around the world. This year the celebration was organized by the Maryknoll Deaf Development Program, but Krousar Thmey and the Disability Action Council were also involved. |
 The celebration of Deaf Awareness Day (or the International Day of Deaf People) was divided into two parts. At 7:30 AM we gathered at Wat Phnom, the spiritual center of Phnom Penh and of Cambodia, for a march around the large circle with the wat in the middle. Two of the NGOs that work with deaf people had photo displays at the site. This display was put together by the Deaf Development Program. The large cloth decoration is a part of most displays here and most people know how to create them--and more elaborate designs--with a little cloth and a few pins. |
 Carol-lee Aquiline, the WFD General Secretary (seated) chats in sign language with a representative from Thailand and several of the local deaf people before the morning march begins. |
 The marchers leave the grounds of Wat Phnom and begin processing on the large traffic circle that has the wat as its center. Our original plan was to walk from several kilometers away to the wat, but the police would not permit it. This day was also celebrated as International Peace Day and because of that demonstration, the authorities said the route we wanted to use would be blocked. Wat Phnom is also a major tourist attraction, with a large floral clock visible behind the marchers. |
 The marchers here are on the back side of the large traffic circle. About 250 people, almost all deaf, took part. The original plan was to march three times around Wat Phnom but it turned out to be pretty boring and there weren't that many people to see us that early in the morning so we called it quits after three laps! The banners proclaim various slogans about equal rights for deaf people. |
 The marchers came from four or five provinces in addition to Phnom Penh city. The NGO called Action for Disability and Development brought a large contingent from their center in Svay Rieng Province. Marchers with an ID card around their necks also participated in the workshop on equal rights on Friday and Saturday.
More about the afternoon's activities tomorrow! |