News

The Braille Authority of New Zealand Aotearoa Trust (BANZAT) has vacancies for three trustees. The closing date for expressions of interest is Monday 14 September 2026. BANZAT sets standards and makes rulings on Braille code and format usage within New Zealand, maintaining consistency with Rules and Guidelines set by the International Council on English Braille. … Read more

Trans-Tasman Certificate of Proficiency in Unified English Braille Jointly administered by The Braille Authority of New Zealand Aotearoa Trust and Australian Braille Authority 2026 Invitation Closing Date: Monday 31 August 2026 Attention Braille Teachers, Transcribers and Users You are warmly invited to apply to sit the Trans-Tasman Certificate of Proficiency in Unified English Braille. All … Read more

Today, 4 January, is World Braille Day. This honours the birth of Louis Braille in 1809. 2025 marked 135 years since the founding of the Royal New Zealand Foundation of the Blind. In 1890 formal services to blind New Zealanders began with the establishment of what was then called the Jubilee Institute for the Blind … Read more

BANZAT is updating Essentials of Braille Formatting. We want requests for proposal from New Zealand Transcribers to lead this task by 23 January 2026. We will be engaging with Braille readers prior to completing the update by September next year. Here's the link to the RFP document.

The Braille Authority of New Zealand Aotearoa Trust is calling for applications to become an Accredited Individual Braille Producer. All the details are in the Word document you can download from here. We look forward to receiving applications.

You are warmly invited to apply to sit the Trans-Tasman Certificate of Proficiency in Unified English Braille. All the details about the Certificate, including the linnk to the application form, are on the BANZAT website at https://www.banzat.org.nz/trans-tasman-certificate-of-proficiency-in-unified-english-braille. The Certificate in UEB is an open book examination which should be completed without conferring with others. The … Read more

Mary Schnackenberg writes: Today we celebrate World Braille Day on the birthday of Louis Braille. As a lifelong Braille reader I find myself defending literacy through Braille very often. Surely, people tell me, with today's technology Braille is not needed! And I am frequently told today's society does not care they can't spell. Oh really! … Read more

Trans-Tasman Certificate of Proficiency in Unified English Braille Jointly administered by The Braille Authority of New Zealand Aotearoa Trust and The Australian Braille Authority 2024 Invitation Closing Date: Friday, 30 August 2024 Attention Braille users and professionals: You are warmly invited to apply to sit the Trans-Tasman Certificate of Proficiency in Unified English Braille. All … Read more

A number of changes and additions have been made to the programme of the ICEB General Assembly. People are urged to look through the latest programme to stay right up to date with developments.