Every four years Deaf people gather to participate in the World Congresses organised by the WFD. There, they approve the resolutions and recommendations that make up the four-year action guidelines for the Board and General Secretariat. The host country of this great event is responsible for the organisation and technical management of the Congress, in close cooperation with the General Secretariat.

Among Congress participants there are official delegates of each member country, professionals, political authorities, representatives of groups that support the Deaf community, participants of the cultural programme and thousands of Deaf people from all over the world.


In two years' time, Madrid will have the privilege of being the world capital of the Deaf community. Throughout its streets we will be able to see Sign Languages from the whole world, Deaf people from different countries and different races, ideologies or beliefs, but everybody united in a claim: the respect for difference. These people advocate the right to have their own language, culture and a history. The 15th World Congress wants to show the whole world the cultural values of the international Deaf community as well as its struggle for creating a fairer and more equalitarian world.

This Congress wants to show everybody the reality of a Deaf community that does not conform and that strongly believes in achieving a more modern, freer and solidarity society.

Check out the WFD Website