International Stuttering Awareness Day 2002: 22 October is International Stuttering Awareness Day. This year's theme is "Don't let stuttering stop you". Please see the ELSA website for additional information. From 1 until 22 October there will be another ISAD Online Conference which you can access via the ELSA site or directly via the Stuttering Homepage.

European Year of People with Disabilites 2003: On 3 December, the Ministers of Employment and Social Affairs unanimously adopted the Commission proposal to declare 2003, the European Year of People with Disabilities. A EUR 12 million budget was approved for the Year to finance wide-ranging involvement and initiatives two of which are of special interest to National Stuttering Associations:

EUR 400.000 will serve to finance events organised by European non-governmental organisations such as ELSA. Based on this funding programme, ELSA is applying for funds to organise an ELSA conference in Strasbourg in 2003 (see above). However, only five to eight projects will be funded by the Commission while there are already 85 member organisations belonging to the European Disability Forum!

EUR 6.45 million go to the EU member states to support measures at national, regional or local level. This funding line is of interest to all National Stuttering Associations in EU countries. In most countries, the National Disability Councils are in charge of disseminating the money, so any applications must be directed to them.

For more information and the national contact persons see our webpage. (European Year of People with Disabilities). We would like to encourage you to apply for money from this funding programme. If you need further information, or if any National Association requires ELSA to partner them in any application please contact Edwin J. Farr at elsa.europe@totalise.co.uk

Last but not least there is some more good news: Edwin J. Farr, Chairperson of ELSA, has received the award of "Member of the Order of the British Empire (M.B.E) for services to the British Stammering Association and the European League of Stuttering Associations". More on this on our webpage.

Compiled by Konrad Schäfers, k.schaefers@gmx.de

Return to the Newsnotes Archive