Sri Lanka Can Learn from Global Push for Blind Inclusion: Highlights from World Blindness Summit 2025
São Paulo, Brazil – September 12, 2025
The World Blindness Summit and World Blind Union (WBU) General Assembly, held from September 1–5 at the Distrito Anhembi Convention Center in São Paulo, Brazil, brought together thousands of blind and low-vision leaders, professionals, and advocates from around 190 countries. The global gathering emphasized unity and resilience under the theme: “A fragile world, an unbreakable movement: together towards inclusion.”
Sri Lanka was among the nations represented, gaining valuable insights into accessible education, inclusive design, and rehabilitation services for the blind and low-vision community.
Global Dialogue on Inclusion and Accessibility
Key topics at the summit included:
Orientation and Mobility (O&M) training for blind children to boost independence and spatial confidence.
Early childhood intervention, with strong calls for accessible learning materials including Braille, large-print, and digital formats.
Inclusive urban planning in the face of climate change and disasters, with emphasis on making cities safer and more accessible.
The summit also tackled governance reforms within the WBU, including amendments to improve regional representation and member engagement for the 2025–2029 term.
Despite the energy and innovation showcased, organizers noted ongoing challenges such as limited participation from low-income countries due to visa and funding barriers, and the need for more accessible documentation in multiple formats.
New WBU Leadership Announced
The General Assembly saw the election of a new WBU leadership team for 2025–2029:
President: Santosh Kumar Rungta (India)
First Vice-President: Cristina Chamorro (Spain)
Second Vice-President: Yaw Ofori-Debra (Ghana)
Secretary General: Moises Bauer Luiz (Brazil)
Treasurer: Alejandro Antonio Paz Ambrosio (Guatemala)
Relevance for Sri Lanka
According to Ashoka Bandula Weerawardhana, who prepared the Sri Lankan delegation’s summary, the summit reaffirmed international commitment to inclusive development—an opportunity Sri Lanka must seize.
“Inclusive early childhood education, O&M training, and rehabilitation services are all areas where Sri Lanka can advance,” he noted. “Moreover, the focus on inclusive urban planning ties directly into our disaster risk reduction and infrastructure goals.”
As countries around the world strengthen their implementation of the Marrakesh Treaty and invest in inclusive systems, Sri Lanka is encouraged to continue aligning its policies with global standards to ensure no one is left behind.
News Whisperer
Special Issue 2025.09.18
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