Welcome to the Nordic Conference on Deafblindness 2026
We are delighted to welcome you to the Nordic Conference on deafblindness that will be held at Scandic Sluseholmen, Molestien 11, 2450 Copenhagen, Denmark, the 15th to the 17th of September 2026!
For your participation we need you to register and choose the appropriate world cafés/courses and workshops/short talks that you would like to attend.
Please beware that there are a limited number of seats at the conference, so first come - first served, goes.
We ask you kindly to read through all the information before regristering and paying the conference fee.
And remember: last day for registration is AUGUST the 13th, 2026 before 12:00 (noon).
We are looking forward to seeing you at the conference!
Please note: Payment for this conference is only available online and registration is binding. Payment by invoice is not possible.
Interpretation
Only the plenary sessions of the conference will be interpreted into Danish sign language from spoken English, as well as speech to text from English to English.
If you need sign language interpretation in other languages, or in tactile modality, you need to arrange for this yourself.
Program
Pleases use the link above to download the Conference program. Please note, this is the preliminary program, and changes may occur. During the conference the program will be updated in real time.
Workshop/Short Talks Session 1
September the 15th at 14:00
Abstracts in link above, see program for details
Courses and World Cafés
September the 16th at 08:30 - 12:30
Abstracts in link above, see program for details
Workshop/Short Talks Session 2
September the 16th at 14:00
Abstracts in link above, see program for details
Workshop/Short Talks Session 3
September the 16th at 16:00
Abstracts in link above, see program for details
Workshop/Short Talks Session 4
September the 17th at 08:50
Abstracts in link above, see program for details
Workshop/Short Talks Session 5
September the 17th at 08:50
Abstracts in link above, see program for details
Keynote Presentations
Reconsiliation voices from the past to the future - a deafblind perspective
The progress of Finland’s Truth and Reconciliation Process for the Deaf and Sign Language Users started in September 2025 and will end in December 2027. The secretariat is operationally independent and autonomous but is administratively a part of the Finnish Ministry of Justice and placed in the Department for Democracy and Public Law.
Johanna Mesch
Johanna Mesch is a Professor of Sign Language. She has pioneered various approaches to studying Swedish Sign Language and tactile Swedish Sign Language from both linguistic and pragmatic perspectives. She is now working as General Secretary for Finland’s Truth and Reconciliation Process for the Deaf and Sign Language Users at the Department for Democracy and Public Law, Autonomy and Equality, the Finnish Ministry of Justice.
Aarne Pirkola
My name is Aarne Pirkola, and I am a sign language user with deafblindness. I communicate using tactile sign language. I serve as the Vice President of the Finnish Deafblind Association.
I have been involved in the Truth and Reconciliation Process for the Deaf and Sign Language users since 2021. And from June 2025, I have been a member of the steering group of the Truth and Reconciliation Process.
I participate in the steering group meetings with the support of interpreters specialized in deafblindness.
Nordic Welfare Research
We are proud to share that we have our own special issue in the journal Nordic Welfare Research Journal and the articles will be presented at the conference. Please join us in this very exciting session!
Also, a literature review on Nordic Research from the 80's until present day, has been conducted by: Moa Wahlqvist, Eline Heppe, Kristine Jensen de López, Sofie Erbs-Christensen and Myrthe Dilling. Their findings will be presented together with the articles from The Nordic Welfare Research.
Social Dinner
The 16th of September 2026, at 19:00 we are hosting the Social Dinner at Scandic Sluseholmen.
The dinner contains a 3 course menu and includes non-alcholic beverage.
To join, you need to register for this in the registration form, and please note that there is an extra cost for this part of the Conference (900 SEK).
Welcome!
Hotel
We have reserved rooms at Scandic Sluseholmen and Scandic Sydhavnen that are availeble for booking for the conference.
If you choose to stay at one of these hotels, you can use the following code for your booking: BNOR140926
PLEASE NOTE: The booking code only works for the 14th to the 17th of September. For booking outside these dates, refer to the hotel's homepage for prices.
What's What
At the conferene we focus on Co-creation, meaning we would like to take part of your knowledge and experience through different formats like World Café, Course, Workshops and Short Talks, as well as group discussions after Keynote spakers.
Read more about the different formats here:
Courses – Deepening Expertise
Courses are focused on providing learning experiences aimed at developing competencies and providing participants with up-to-date, evidence-informed, and/or practice-based knowledge in a specific area.
The courses is interactive and provide sufficient opportunities for participants to contribute by bringing their own experiences, engaging in discussions, and sharing perspectives. The course also allocate time for the participants to formulate a small action to bring back and integrate into practice, research, or daily life.
World Café – Co-creating Knowledge
The world café format offers a more informal, interactive space for dialogue and co-creation of knowledge.
A world café is a method for facilitating dialogue, idea exchange, and collaboration in groups. It is an informal yet structured approach where participants move between different tables (like in a café), and the conversations are guided by questions around a specific topic.
Workshops
These sessions are designed as creative, interactive learning experiences that encourage participants to actively contribute, reflect on their experiences, and engage in meaningful discussions. Workshops focus on co-creating knowledge and offer clear learning outcomes that help participants deepen their knowledge and competence in specific areas related to deafblindness.
Short Talks
These presentations aim to share research findings or new practices in a concise, impactful format. Each short talk is an opportunity to share scientific insights and exchange knowledge on key topics within the field.
