WASLI History

The World Association of Sign Language Interpreters was established 23 July 2003 during the 14th World Congress of the World Federation of the Deaf in Montreal Canada.

1975 Washington DC, USA	The concept of an international association was first put forward during the WFD Congress
1995 Vienna, Austria	An international meeting of interpreters selected Raija Moustegaard and Raili Ojala-Signell, both from Finland, to develop statutes for an international association
1999 Brisbane, Australia	During the WFD Congress, 150 interpreters from 30 nations met. It was agreed to set up a Working Group to undertake the following: (1) expand the draft statutes into a Governing Document (2) share it with participants at the WFD Congress and with other countries as contacts became known (3) ask for formal letters of support from national associations and (4) prepare to be updated at a further meeting to take place at the next WFD Congress in Montreal Canada in 2003
2002 Washington DC, USA	The World Symposium for Sign Language Interpreters, sponsored by the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf, provided an update on the work of the Working Group. The number of people on the Working Group was increased.
2003 Montreal, Canada	60 interpreters representing 20 nations together with WFD General Secretary Carol lee Aquiline saw the establishment of WASLI – the World Association of Sign Language Interpreters on 23 July 2003. The representative from South Africa agreed to host the first WASLI Conference in 2005.
2003 – 2005	The Working Group* set about (1) establishing contact with as many interpreters and interpreter associations throughout the world as possible (2) preparing the documentation that was needed to formalise the Association (3) developed a sponsorship programme raising money to assist delegates from the poorer nations to come to South Africa (4) to set in place the structures needed to be an International Association
2005 Worcester, South Africa	The first conference of WASLI welcomed over 220 delegates from over 40 countries. With the support of WFD and the National Association of the Deaf this 3-day event was the realisation of the previous 20 years. The first WASLI Board** was elected. The Board will now get to work to put in place the necessary structures, policies and procedures that WASLI need. FILSE, the Spanish national association of interpreters agreed to host WASLI 2007
2007 Segovia, Spain	The second WASLI Conference welcomed 293 delegates from 44 countries. The WASLI/WFD Joint Agreement is signed. The second WASLI Executive Board was elected and 3 individuals are appointed to develop the work of WASLI in Africa, South America and the Balkans
2007 Madrid, Spain	The WASLI and WFD Presidents sign the joint agreement before the WFD General Assembly. The WASLI President makes a presentation ‘Working Together’ at the WFD Congress as part of the Commission on Interpreting.
2011 Durban, South Africa	Following the announcement at WFD of who will host the 16th World Congress of the World Federation of the Deaf in 2011, WASLI will hold its third conference in Durban, South Africa.