At Zreče, on 20th and 21st of November, the 9th Congress of Social Work took place, where we jointly marked 70 years of tradition, dedication, and persistent work for human dignity.
asst. Prof. Dr. Simona Gerenčer, Secretary General of the Deafblind Association of Slovenia DLAN, presented the contribution “Strengthening the Deafblind Community” within the section Employment, Discrimination and Support for Different Groups, which she also moderated. Simona has been performing in the field of social work for more than 23 years and truly lives this profession.
She highlighted the message that community is built slowly, thoughtfully, and respectfully. A community can be built when it has its own language – the language of the deafblind. A community is not a programme or a project, but a relationship.
And a relationship requires courage:
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the courage to name injustices,
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the courage to demand systemic changes,
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the courage to persevere even when the work is little noticed and undervalued.
Our sincere thanks go to the Faculty of Social Work for the excellent organisation of the event, the space for dialogue, and the professional discussion.
At the Deafblind Association of Slovenia DLAN, we believe that change can only happen together —
and that only as a community can we push the boundaries of understanding.
At the same time, with perseverance we build a more humane future for people with deafblindness and for society as a whole.
Ljubljana, 22nd of November, 2025
