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