PANAJI
Goa will host major Asian gatherings of the Deaf and sign language community for the first time, bringing together leaders, youth and women representatives, sign language interpreters and organisations from October 5.
Participants from India, South Korea, the Philippines, Japan, Indonesia, Bhutan, Laos, Mongolia, Thailand and Nepal are expected to attend the week-long programmes, which will focus on Deaf rights, leadership, accessibility, inclusion, sign language development and regional cooperation.
According to a press statement issued on Thursday, the programmes include the 12th WFDRSA Youth Camp, Deaf Asia Conference, 38th WFDRSA Representative Meeting, 15th WFDRSA Youth Section Representative Meeting, first WFDRSA Women Section Representative Meeting and WASLI Asia Conference 2026.
The Youth Camp, from October 5 to 9, will focus on leadership development, issues affecting Deaf youth, exchange of ideas and regional networking. From October 9 to 11, the Deaf Asia Conference and related meetings will bring together Deaf leaders, women representatives, interpreters and organisations to discuss rights, accessibility, inclusion and sign language development.
The WASLI Asia Conference will focus on sign language interpreting, interpreter education, professional standards, leadership and accessibility. The first WFDRSA Women Section meeting will focus on strengthening the participation and leadership of Deaf women.
The events are being organised by the Office of the State Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities and the Department for Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, Government of Goa, in association with the All India Federation of the Deaf and the Goa Association of the Deaf.
“Goa was chosen as the host for its work in accessibility and inclusion, including initiatives such as Purple Fest, as well as its tourism infrastructure and connectivity,” the statement said.
As part of the programme, an Inclusive Run will be held at Miramar Circle on October 11 in association with the Rotary Club of Bardez Coastal. The run will have 3-km, 5-km and 7-km categories and bring together persons with disabilities, Deaf participants, families, community members and the public.
The run will mark the public culmination of the gatherings, promoting inclusion, accessibility and equal participation while raising awareness about the Deaf community.
