CIICA Articles by: Suzanne Link

Celebrating International CI Day & CIICA’s 5th Birthday!

Hearing Matters Whatever Your Age!

EURO-CIU began International CI Day in 2009 to commemorate the first CI on February 25, 1957 in France. Since 2009, this day has been celebrated all over the world, raising awareness about the life-changing impact of cochlear implants for individuals with severe to profound hearing loss. On International Cochlear Implant Day 2026, we recognise the life-changing impact of cochlear implants worldwide. Access to hearing care is access to connection, education, and opportunity. CIICA remains committed to advancing equitable access, informed choice, and lifelong cochlear implant care worldwide.

It’s also CIICA’s fifth birthday!

Reflecting on the past year, one thing is clear, the global CI community is stronger, more connected and more active than ever. We now have over 700 individual members across 76 countries worldwide.

This year, we are celebrating by launching our report “Adult Hearing Screening: Why Wait?” Download and share this much needed review of this topic.

If this was picked up sooner, there would be such an improvement to people’s quality of life. I know of so many people who clearly have got hearing loss but won’t ask their GP for a referral. If screening was available many of these people would attend, as it would be seen as something that everyone is offered. Hearing loss at any level causes such upset and depression in people and their families. Once diagnosed it gives a person a chance to come to terms with wearing aids and meeting others in a similar situation. I found it takes a long time to admit deafness and be open about it. An adult with hearing loss, Quoted in Lamb & Archbold 2016).

Also introducing our new project: Parents’ Voices in Low & Middle Income Countries : so far 67 parents’ stories from 16 countries.

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CIICA Articles by: Suzanne Link

Celebrating World Hearing Day 2026!

On World Hearing Day we launched our new project “Raising Awareness of CI for Children & Infants in Low & Middle Income Countries” – https://ciicanet.org/resources/new-resource-development-parents-voices-in-lmic/

On World Hearing Day Young Adults had an online conversation about improving accessibility in education – https://ciicanet.org/events/ci-young-peoples-conversation-improving-accessibility-in-conversation/

World Hearing Day was celebrated across the globe, including our CIICA Network, who promoted some fantastic initiatives in their respective countries, including:

Harald Seidler, member of the CIICA Board, celebrated 125 years of hearing advocacy, on World Hearing Day, at the Embassy in Berlin, Germany.

Our Chair, Leo De Raeve, and Jarle Franceus, invited member of the Board, were busy on World Hearing Day in Belgium:

Artevelde University of Applied Science in Ghent (Belgium) was not only celebrating World Hearing Day, but also 30 years of Audiology at their university. Leo and Jarle told the 300 participants at their symposium that ONICI will become part of the Department of Audiology & Speech-Language Therapy and an International one year, on line post-graduate course on ‘Hearing, Implants & Rehabilitation’ will start in September 2026. For more information sent an email to info.hearing@arteveldehs.be.

Leo was also busy in the evening talking to the Flemish association of hard-of-hearing and deafened people called ‘Onder Ons’ on “What if your ears don’t function well”. 50 adults with a hearing loss and their relatives had lots of questions and discussion.

Giovanna Troncoso of “Fundación Oír es Vivir from Panama (pictured) and Tanya Saunders of AVID Language announced the launch of a new educational program in schools on World hearing Day. The program will give kids the opportunity to learn about hearing health, hearing aids, cochlear implants and inclusion while they enjoy an entertaining storytelling activity.
READ ABOUT THIS EXCITING COLLABORATION

AICE celebrating World Hearing Day across Spain, with local bus companies and the Metro promoting hearing health to the public and illuminating landmark buildings to share the message with everyone.

Barbara Kelley, CIICA Board Member and Chief Executive of HLAA, USA, hosted with Donna Sorkin, AICA, an event on Capitol Hill, Washington, honouring the co-chairs of the Congressional Hearing Health Caucus – Rep. Tom Barret and Mike Thompson. Raising awareness again!

HLAA are excited to partner with Hasbro to create an addition to our Hearing Loss 101 Toolkit, focusing on kids with hearing loss and their families.

This exciting new project is inspired by PEPPA PIG: Peppa’s younger brother, George, has moderate hearing loss. Our toolkit update will present information to children in ways they can understand.

For World Hearing Day, WHO decides the theme and develops evidence-based advocacy materials such as brochures, flyers, posters, banners, infographics and presentations.

These materials are shared with partners in government and civil society around the world as well as WHO regional and country offices. WHO invites all stakeholders to join this global initiative.

CLICK HERE to find useful resources. News of the day will be available soon.

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CIICA Articles by: Suzanne Link

WHA Resolution on Sensory Impairment Approved

The World Health Organisation reported a new resolution has now been approved at the 78th World Health Assembly in Geneva on 19-17 May 2025.

Primary prevention and integrated care for sensory impairments, including vision impairment and hearing loss, across the life course.

You can watch the announcement on the WHA recording of the Ninth Committee A session, following this link: https://www.who.int/about/governance/world-health-assembly/seventy-eighth. The relevant section starts at 1h:49m:53s until 1:50:22.

Download the Resolution document here: https://ciicanet.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/B156_21-en-WHO-EB-Decision-Hearing-Vision-Res-for-WHA.pdf

Download the Supporting Constituency Statement here: https://ciicanet.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/WHA-Consituency-Statement-May-2025.pdf

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CIICA Articles by: Suzanne Link

CIICA at ACIA in Boston

The American CI Alliance held their 2025 Conference in Boston – with over 1000 delegates and a great atmosphere with the opportunity to share and have discussion time.

The themes of CI2025 Boston included:
• Cochlear implant candidacy and outcomes in asymmetric hearing loss
• What can be done to improve CI access to underserved paediatric and adult populations
• Maximizing CI outcomes at both ends of the age spectrum
• Accessibility for cochlear implant and hearing aid users to other technologies
• The future of gene therapy for children and adults with hearing loss
• Cochlear implants in the hearing health continuum: the US and around the world
• Access to hearing health by children with congenital CMV
• Listening, Language, Literacy in children with hearing loss

Andrea Warner Cryz welcomed everyone, and introduced Lexi Finnigan and her great plans to connect Teens with CI across the US. She is keen to be involved with the CIICA group.
At the beginning Bruce Gantz, MD, Iowa, was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award for his outstanding contribution to the field, and was followed by Nancy Young, MD, Chicago, introduced by Donna Sorkin, Chief Executive, who gave the John Niparko Memorial Lecture on “Language Prediction to Improve Outcomes for Children with CI”.

There were some interesting features- quick poster presentations followed by the poster sessions, and Sue Archbold presented on CI Services Matter, CIICA’s report on adult ci services. Other interesting features were lunchtime discussions and Sue Archbold and Connie Mayer attended the one on Educational Issues. Forty people turned up and all recognized the importance of education for children with CI, and heard about the teachers of the deaf working on CI teams in the UK and the important educational data which is collected to provide evidence. They were interested in CIICA’s developing Conversations on Education.

Sue Archbold was on a panel on Global Healthcare and Cochlear Implant Access: Systems, Policies and Practices around the World, chaired by James Saunders. She made the point that you could achieve policy change, but unless practice changed they were not important. She quoted from Carolina Der, WHO: it begins with Awareness:

No Awareness, no information , no demand and no service

With the EDHI programme (Early Detection) having been scrapped in the US there is certainly plenty for the strong Advocacy of ACIA to address.

Next year will be in Chicago!

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CIICA Articles by: Suzanne Link

How did the CIICA network empower themselves on World Hearing Day 2025?

Paige Stringer, Founder and Executive Director of the Global Foundation for Children with Hearing Loss, had her article on addressing global shortages in professional expertise, published in the World Hearing Day special edition of AG Bell’s Volta Voices digital magazine.

Click here to read the article.

Click here to find out more about the great work at GFCHL.

On World Hearing Day 2025: MEP Zala Tomasic hosted a Virtual Lunch Debate in the European Parliament with EFHOH, AEA and EHIMA on 4 March 2025.

Watch videos of all the speakers here:

MEP Zala Tomasic (EPP): Video
Shelly Chadha (WHO): Video
Monika Chaba (European Commission): Video
Lidia Best (EFHOH): Video
Ariana Laplante-Lévesque (WHO Europe): Video
Mark Laureyns (AEA): Video
Stefan Zimmer (EHIMA): Video
Debate and conclusions: Video

Young Adults empowered themselves on World Hearing Day with their agenda! This new stakeholders’ group, the first to receive hearing through cochlear implants as children, are now entering higher education and the world of work.

See their recommendations for the provision of lifelong services, increased accessibility and public awareness.

DOWNLOAD THE AGENDA

WATCH THE VIDEO

Read WHO’s article about Darja Parjk, a health and care worker with hearing loss, highlighting the importance of empathy and understanding. Darja Pajk works as an occupational therapist at a long-term care facility in Slovenia for people with intellectual and physical impairments. She lives with severe hearing loss in both ears and has two CI.

GO TO ARTICLE & WATCH VIDEO

SUKI in the Czech Republic, celebrated together with an organisation Microtia Czech Republic which focuses on the users of the compensatory aid called BAHD. So there were three presentations about the device and surgery, about the indication criteria and about speech therapy and in the second half of the evening we rewarded three people who – above and beside their job – contributed the most to the improvement of the system support of the users of BAHD in the Czech Republic. https://suki.cz/

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CIICA Articles by: Suzanne Link

CIICA Network’s Activities on CI International Day 2025

There was a huge amount of activity on International CI Day this year. See below some of the initiatives within the CIICA network! Do send us yours!

On CIICA’s fourth birthday and CI International Day, we were delighted to share the Agenda that a global group of Young Adults with CI has been working on. This new stakeholders’ group, the first to receive hearing through cochlear implants as children, are now entering higher education and the world of work.See their recommendations for the provision of lifelong services, increased accessibility and public awareness.

WATCH THE VIDEO

DOWNLOAD THE AGENDA

Spanish organisation AICE marked International CI Day with their campaign across the Spanish public transportation system, with advertisements on buses and in Metro stations in various Spanish cities.

AICE also raised awareness at the Palacio de la Música in Valencia with 1,500 people; tickets sold out!! Beethoven’s wonderful music reminded everyone of his battle with his deafness.

CIICA’S 4th Birthday & International CI Day: Young Adults with Cochlear Implants Launch their Agenda

“As part of the new generation of deaf people working and thriving in the hearing world, this Agenda exists to connect us to a wider community across the world …

Download our Young Adults with Cochlear Implants – Our Agenda

On CIICA’s fourth birthday and CI International Day, we are delighted to share the Agenda that a global group of Young Adults with CI has been working on.

This new stakeholders’ group, the first to receive hearing through cochlear implants as children, are now entering higher education and the world of work.

See their recommendations for the provision of lifelong services, increased accessibility and public awareness.

While CI solves so many problems, there are a few that could be solved with just a bit more attentive, lifelong care.

A global group of Young Adults with Cochlear Implants have come together to make an exciting video about the small changes they would like to see to make their life even better with this great technology. Watch the video below.

I’ve always heard through my cochlear it’s all I know

Agenda project supported by AICE, York Uni, Toronto, and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, Canada

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CIICA Articles by: Suzanne Link

What did the CIICA network achieve in 2024?

2024 has been an amazing year for the CIICA network, with our members increasing and our global reach increasing. Our membership has increased by 23% across the world, with over 100 organisations and over 600 individuals active in 74 countries.

A key development has been the first Advocacy in Action conference at our legal home in Brussels – with 100 delegates from 27 countries – see https://ciicanet.org/events/ci-advocacy-in-action-first-global-conference-may-2024/ for a taste of the action! and the conference has led to much more collaborative global advocacy work.

Our website is central to our network, and activity has seen year on year growth, with important new resources, including advocacy training videos, developed and published in the latter half of the year.

Our infographic highlights our major impact and growth during the course of the year:

Read CIICA’s full Annual Report for 2024 here and find out how we did it.

A huge THANK YOU to our global members, partners and the CIICA team, for all for your enthusiasm and commitment!

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CIICA Articles by: Suzanne Link

World Hearing Forum Student Changemaker Awards 2024-2025

Innovate. Inspire. Impact

Are you ready to make a lasting impact on global health? The World Hearing Forum invites you to participate in the World Hearing Forum Student Changemaker Awards 2024-2025!

Application Extended March 3 2025

APPLY NOW

Questions? Contact us at whfchangemakers@gmail.com

This is your chance to:

· Develop innovative solutions for ear and hearing care in low- and middle-income countries

· Transform your ideas into reality with substantial funding

· Receive expert mentorship in your field

Why It Matters: Nearly 60% of childhood hearing loss is preventable, yet only 17% of those needing hearing aids have access. Your innovative ideas can bridge this gap and change lives globally.

Competition Categories:

· Prevention: Develop strategies to prevent hearing loss from preventable causes

· Assistive Technologies: Create low-cost technologies to aid people with hearing loss

· Training & Education: Design methods to support frontline workers in delivering ear and hearing care

Who Can Apply: We welcome undergraduate and graduate students from diverse disciplines, including public health, medicine, engineering, and innovation.

Exciting Prizes:

· 🥇 1st Place: $15,000 + Presentation at World Hearing Forum meeting in 2025 in Geneva, Switzerland

· 🥈 2nd Place: $10,000

· 🥉 3rd Place: $5,000

Don’t Miss Out!

Application Extended March 3 2025

APPLY NOW

Questions? Contact us at whfchangemakers@gmail.com

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CIICA Articles by: Suzanne Link

World Hearing Day – 3rd March 2025 – Changing Mindsets: Empowering Yourself

World Hearing Day 2025 and this year’s theme is all about “Changing mindsets: empower yourself to make ear and hearing care a reality for all!”

Great resources in a range of languages available here. Promotional Material 2025 to 2022 – World Hearing Day. On World Hearing Day resources will be available here World Hearing Day 2025 and for the launch of WHO-ITU Global Standards for Safe Listening in Video Games and for School education for Smart Listening.

This year’s theme builds upon the 2024 focus on changing mindsets towards ear and hearing care. Individuals of all ages are invited to empower themselves to ensure healthy ears and hearing for themselves and others. This campaign aims to inspire behaviour change to protect hearing from loud sounds, prevent hearing loss, check hearing regularly, use hearing devices if needed, and support those living with hearing loss. Empowered individuals can drive change within themselves and in society at large.

Key messages for 2025:

· By 2030, over 500 million people are expected to have disabling hearing loss requiring rehabilitation.

· Over one billion young people face the risk of permanent hearing loss due to prolonged exposure to loud sounds during recreational pastimes such as listening to music and video gameplay.

· How we hear in the future depends on how we care for our ears today as many cases of hearing loss can be avoided through the adoption of safe listening and good hearing care practices. For those living with hearing loss, early identification and access to timely rehabilitation are essential to achieving their highest potential.

· You can take steps today to ensure good hearing health throughout life.

Empower yourself and others by participating in World Hearing Day 2025 events.

In 2024, 625 events in 82 countries created a wave of advocacy. Explore how communities worldwide came together to break down barriers and ensure inclusivity for people with hearing loss in the World Hearing Day 2024 Report of Activities.

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