The turn of events over the past week or so have shown us that we need to be mindful of our friends, family and community. We need to be careful of our own health and to be patient and understanding with people who are worried about what this global pandemic may mean to them.
But we also need to continue to live our lives and serve others. AG Bell will continue to do just that.
In that frame of mind, I wanted to specifically address the many outstanding and dedicated professionals advancing Listening and Spoken Language who are planning to attend the 2020 Global Listening and Spoken Language Symposium in Baltimore this July. The Symposium is still months away, and many things can happen between now and then. We’re all hopeful that this challenge will soon become a memory, but we’ll have to get through it first.
You may be considering whether you should attend the Symposium, and I would like to ask you to allow some time for the extraordinary efforts around the globe to have their effect. Consider that airlines are being very responsive regarding travel plans. Hotel reservations can be changed within a few days of an event. Registration for the Symposium is fully refundable through June 9th– and that is quite far into a future that is moving very swiftly. Experts in many fields and industries are coming together in unprecedented ways to address this medical challenge.
The official position of AG Bell is that staff are monitoring restrictions being placed on travel to and within the United States as well as restrictions on meetings and large gatherings of people. We are closely following the guidelines and updates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Maryland Department of Health. Recognizing that our conference draws individuals from around the world, we are also following communications from the World Health Organization.
Likewise, we encourage you to follow the guidelines in your area and keep yourself safe. Over the next few weeks, we’ll all learn more to help us make wise decisions. I’m very confident that the efforts happening all over the world to address and contain this virus will lead us all to meet and reunite in Baltimore this summer.
Please continue to follow AG Bell’s communications and the AG Bell Global Symposium website for updates. We welcome any questions you have to 2020symposium@agbell.org.
Finally, I would like to share with you, what our friends in Spain and Italy are doing to express gratitude and stay positive during these challenging moments.
Emilio Alonso-Mendoza
Chief Executive Officer
Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing