 |
PLACE: The Galt House Hotel, Louisville, Kentucky
DATES: June 28 through July 4, 2003
Pre-convention seminars for parents of blind children
and other groups—June 28, 2003
Division and national committee meetings—June 29-30, 2003
Plenary sessions—July 1 through 4, 2003
EXPECTED ATTENDANCE
Three thousand five hundred from all fifty states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and numerous foreign countries. Most of those attending will be blind.
MEETINGS
Plenary sessions will be held in the Grand Ballroom located on the second floor
of the East Tower of the Galt House Hotel beginning on Tuesday, July 1, and
continuing through Friday, July 4. During these sessions, all attendees assemble
in state delegations much like a political convention.
PROGRAM
NFB conventions give government representatives, agency administrators, and leaders in politics, business, and industry the opportunity to address and respond to a large nationwide audience primarily of individuals who are blind or visually impaired. The topics of interest include: relevant civil rights issues; rehabilitation of the blind for competitive employment; the operation of vending facilities by blind persons on public property; specialized library services for the blind; Social Security and Supplemental Security Income programs; advancements in technology; the organization and funding of federal programs; and other timely topics. Legislative proposals, new laws, administrative policy, and program changes are all considered during the convention.
BANQUET
The convention includes a large, well-attended banquet to be held in the Grand Ballroom at the Galt House Hotel beginning at 7:00 p.m., Thursday, July 3rd. The program for the evening will feature an address by NFB President, Marc Maurer. The banquet is the convention's high point, since the President in his address reviews our past accomplishments, our present status, and the outlook for the future. The NFB President's annual banquet addresses are moving and highly regarded. Several have been published in Vital Speeches of the Day. The banquet program will also include the presentation of over $100,000 in scholarships to thirty outstanding blind students.
BACKGROUND
The 2003 convention will be the largest meeting of the blind (or of persons with any disabilities) to be held anywhere in the world in the year 2003. The convention is the supreme authority and policy-making body of the National Federation of the Blind and voice of the nation's blind. Resolutions and policy statements will be considered in plenary sessions throughout the week. Decisions in the Federation are made by the blind themselves. NFB's elected leaders at all levels (local, state, and national) are blind, as is the vast majority of the membership. NFB is thus the collective voice of the nation's blind.
CHILD CARE
During convention week children between the ages of six weeks and twelve years are invited to join in the fun and festivities of NFB Camp. NFB Camp offers more than just childcare; it is an opportunity for our blind and sighted children to meet and develop lifelong friendships. Our activity schedule is filled with games, crafts, and special performances designed to entertain, educate, and delight
REGISTRATION
All attending are encouraged to register. The registration fee is $15, and registration will open Sunday, June 29, at 9:00 a.m.
TOURS
Information regarding tours planned for national convention 2003 will be available
in the March 2003 Braille Monitor. In the meantime, Charles Allen of
the Kentucky affiliate is handling requests for information. His telephone number
is 502-875-1413.
HOTEL RATES
The schedule of room rates, special for those attending and registering at the National Federation of the Blind Convention, will be as follows: singles, twins, and doubles, $57.00 a night; triples and quads, $63.00 a night. All quoted rates are subject to a tax, which at present is 13.95 percent.
For more information about room reservations checkout the January 2003 Braille Monitor.
MORE INFORMATION
 |
Additional information as to meetings, schedule, hotel, etc., may be obtained by contacting the National Federation of the Blind National Office at 1800 Johnson Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21230, telephone (410) 659-9314. Press Release
Braille Monitor Articles:
Introducing the Galt House and Hyatt (May 2003)
Getting Around Downtown Louisville (April 2003)
2003 Convention Attractions (April 2003)
Schedule of NOPBC Sponsored Events... (April 2003)
Dialysis At National Convention (April 2003)
2003 Convention Tours (March 2003)
NFB National Convention, Louisville, Kentucky, Take Two (January 2003)