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Chris Friend of World Blind Union asks Obama to support WIPO treaty for disabilities

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    (Chris Friend of World Blind Union at WIPO negotiations on copyright exceptions for disabilities. July 21, 2012.)
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    [Interviewer] Chris, I would ask you this question:
    If you could speak directly to President Obama
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    about what you'd like him to do
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    between now and next Wednesday
    in terms of this negotiation,
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    or what you'd like his government to do,
    what would you tell him?
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    [Chris Friend] President Obama, you have disability
    very much in your heart as an individual.
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    I know you have a disability desk
    within the White House.
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    You have a very, very strong law,
    which the rest of the world looks to: the ADA.
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    Please use the influence of your office with your government
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    and make your government one of the
    leading influences in this issue, here in Geneva.
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    Because we really have waited
    nearly 30 years for this
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    and if we wait another year,
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    if we miss the General Assembly
    in the first week in October,
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    another one million books
    will be produced around the world
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    and they will not be accessible to us.
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    So the vision-impaired community and
    the other print-disabled community around the world
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    ask you sir, to answer,
    to get your government at this very meeting
    taking place in this coming week,
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    to be forward and open and say
    that you support the issue,
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    you will back the Treaty
    along with all the other Member States,
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    so that progress can be made
    within your first presidency.
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    Thank you.
Title:
Chris Friend of World Blind Union asks Obama to support WIPO treaty for disabilities
Description:

On July 21, 2012, during a Saturday negotiating session at the WIPO Standing Committee on Copyright and Related Rights, KEI interviewed Chris Friend of the World Blind Union, and asked him what he would ask from President Obama.. Up through the date of the Interview, the White House has refused to agree to work toward a diplomatic conference on a treaty for copyright exceptions for persons who are blind or have other disabilities.

Note: Regional groups representing all countries in Latin America, Africa and Asia have called for a diplomatic conference to enact strong user rights for persons who are blind or have other disabilities. The Chairman of the Senate HELP Committee has written the President calling for a treaty. The European Parliament has voted unanimously to support a treaty, and many high income countries have indicated they support work on a treaty for disabilities, including for example, Australia, Finland, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the UK.
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Video Language:
English, British
Duration:
01:32

English, British subtitles

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