Deaf Advocacy
1919: Asociatia Nationala a Surzilor din România (ANSR) Romanian National Association for the Deaf
The first group of persons with hearing impairment in Romania was established on November 9, 1919 and was called the Friendly Association of the Deaf-Mute in Romania, under the patronage of Queen Mary, through the voluntary association of a group of deaf.
In 1995, within the National Conference it was decided that the name of the association be “Romanian National Association of the Deaf”, a name that it honors nowadays.
1922: Eesti Kurtide Liit Estonian Association of the Deaf
The Estonian Society of the Deaf was founded in 1922 in Tallinn when the articles of association had been prepared, reviewed and a founding permit had been obtained.
1922: Sveriges Dövas Riksförbund (SDR), Swedish National Association of the Deaf
SDR was formed on February 26, 1922. Before the formation of SDR, there was the Deaf-Mute Association in Stockholm, which was formed in 1868 by three founders.
1927: Deutscher Gehoerlosen-Bund e.V. (DGB) German Association of the Deaf
The German Deaf Association was founded in 1950. It regards itself as the legal successor to the Reich Association of the Deaf of Germany (ReGeDe), founded in 1927, which was renamed the Reich Association of the Deaf of Germany in 1940 during the Nazi era and was merged into the German Association of the Deaf and Speech Impaired (DGS) in 1943.
1934: СЪЮЗ НА ГЛУХИТЕ В БЪЛГАРИЯ (SGB) Union of the Deaf in Bulgaria
The Union of the Deaf in Bulgaria is the successor of the former Society of the Deaf and Dumb in Bulgaria, which was founded on July 12, 1934.
1935: Danske Døves Landsforbund (DDL) Danish Deaf Association
The Danish Association of the Deaf (DDL) fights to improve the opportunities for the deaf in Denmark in all areas; education, accessibility, interpretation, the labor market and sign language.
1936: Doof Vlaanderen (BE)
Doof Vlaanderen is a federation of Flemish Deaf organizations that works towards equality, emancipation and development of deaf people and their language, the Flemish Sign Language, in society.
1946: Schweizerischer Gehöerlosenbund / Fedération Suisse des Sourds / Federazione Svizzera dei Sordi (SGB-FSS) Swiss Federation of the Deaf
The Swiss Association of the Deaf was founded in 1946 as a member of the Swiss Association for Aid to the Deaf. Here, hearing experts exclusively determine the fate of deaf and hearing impaired people.
1948: Polski Związek Głuchych (PZG) Board of the Polish Association of the Deaf
After the war, in 1946, activists of the Polish Association of Deaf Societies established one nationwide organization called the Polish Association of the Deaf and Their Friends. Since 1955, it has been operating under the name of the Polish Association of the Deaf.
1951: World Federation of the Deaf established in Rome
The World Federation of the Deaf (WFD) was established in 1951 during the first World Congress in Rome, Italy. The WFD is an international non-governmental organisation in official liaison with ECOSOC, UNESCO, ILO, WHO and the Council of Europe.
The WFD today continues to be an ever-expanding umbrella organisation providing a wide range of support and advocacy services for 134 national associations of the deaf.
1953, 1999: Dovenschap Nieuwe Stijl Deaf Association of the Netherlands
In 1953, the Dovenraad (Council of the Deaf) was founded.
