FYI.
-------- Original Message --------
Subject: UN-Habitat World Urban Forum
Date: Tue, 16 May 2006 11:39:11 -0700
From: Frances Tang-Graham <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Dear Frank,
I am writing to you from the Social Planning and Research Council of
British Columbia (SPARC BC) in Canada, a charitable non-profit
organization that works with communities in building a just and healthy
society for all. We have a particular focus on promoting accessibility,
community capacity, and income security, and we also administer the
Parking Permit Program for People with Disabilities. You can find out
more about us at our website: www.sparc.bc.ca <http://www.sparc.bc.ca/>.
As you may have heard, the City of Vancouver, Canada, is hosting the
UN-Habitat World Urban Forum III this coming 19-23 June, 2006. It is an
international event and has the overall theme of "Our Future:
Sustainable Cities - Turning Ideas into Action": www.wuf3-fum3.ca
<http://www.wuf3-fum3.ca/>. One of the sub themes is "Social Inclusion
and Cohesion" and under this category SPARC BC has been selected to hold
an official Networking Event. The title of our project is "Accessible
Urban Space: A Facilitated Discussion on Inclusive Communities."
During this unique opportunity to share ideas and learn from each other,
participants - including urban planners, social activists, academics,
and interested members of the public - will examine models from around
the world that have broken down barriers to accessibility for people
with disabilities. Through a guided exploration of challenges, best
practices, and ways forward, participants will draw upon their own
experiences to find commonalities in the solutions presented, and
determine ways in which they can incorporate these into their own
communities.
Various assistive technologies will make this event accessible to people
with disabilities attending WUF. Further enhancing accessibility, the
discussion will feature an innovative and real-time online conferencing
tool that links in virtual participants from around the world. In
addition to the actual WUF networking sessions, the dialogue will
feature web-based conferencing using software called Elluminate Live
which will allow individuals, who would not otherwise be able to attend
the World Urban Forum, to have their say. We are hoping to identify a
minimum of 15 people with diverse backgrounds from around the world to
hook up, "virtually", to the dialogue.
As I am quite familiar with the excellent development work that DPI
does, I would like to invite you to attend our event as a web-based
participant. I was also hoping that you might be able to draw upon your
networks to refer me on to partner organizations and individuals with an
interest in social inclusion and accessibility who would be keen to
participate.
I have attached more information. Please forward it on to people who you
think would be interested.
Looking forward to hearing from you,
Frances Tang-Graham
Project Co-ordinator
Social Planning and Research Council of BC
#201 - 221 East 10th Avenue
Vancouver BC V5T 4V3
Tel: (604) 718-7735
Fax: (604) 736-8697
www.sparc.bc.ca <http://www.sparc.bc.ca>
Accessible Urban Space:
A Facilitated Discussion on Inclusive Communities and Cities
An Official UN World Urban Forum Networking Event
Organized by SPARC BC
Date: Tuesday June 20, 2006
Time: 1:30 pm Pacific Time
Place: In-person at Oceanview 2, Pan Pacific Hotel Vancouver, BC
Or through web-conferencing with Elluminate Live
Does urban planning affect community accessibility and social inclusion
for people with disabilities? How does accessibility play out in
different cultural and economic contexts? These are only some of the
questions that participants will engage with in "Accessible Urban Space:
A Facilitated Discussion on Inclusive Communities and Cities," the
Social Planning and Research Council of BC's upcoming networking event
on June 20th, 2006, as part of the UN-HABITAT World Urban Forum (WUF).
Through a process of facilitated discussion, this event will explore
issues around planning of urban space and the design of the built
environment, and how they impact on social inclusion for people with
disabilities in different cultural and economic settings. It will
identify barriers to equal access, examples of best civic practices, and
will reflect on the importance of local community participation in the
planning of accessible and inclusive communities.
Participants will examine the ways in which policies and practices from
around the world have broken down barriers to social inclusion for
people with disabilities. Through a guided exploration of challenges,
best practices, and ways forward, participants will draw upon their own
experiences to find commonalities in the solutions presented, and
determine ways in which they can incorporate these into their own
communities. Featuring the use of an innovative and real-time web
conferencing program, people from across the developed and developing
worlds will be linked in to the discussion.
The UN World Urban Forum, taking place from June 19th to 23rd, 2006 in
Vancouver, is a unique opportunity that allows people from around the
world to meet and share perspectives, finding real, sustainable
solutions to the challenges faced by our rapidly expanding urban
centres. Registration to the WUF at
http://hq.unhabitat.org/wuf/2006/registration.asp, which has no fee and
is open to the public, provides opportunities to attend dialogues and
roundtables with world-renowned experts and opinion leaders, as well as
to networking events where participants will be able to discuss an array
of fascinating and relevant topics.
If you would like to attend the Social Planning and Research Council's
networking event over the web or in-person, please contact Frances
Tang-Graham to pre-register and notify us, and WUF, of any accessibility
needs
(http://www.wuf3-fum3.ca/en/coming_to_canada_disability_services.asp).
The event is fully accessible.
Contact: Frances Tang-Graham, +1 604-718-7735 or
[log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]>.
For information about other exciting events taking place at the World
Urban Forum, please see http://www.wuf3-fum3.ca
<http://www.wuf3-fum3.ca/> and http://www.unhabitat.org/wuf/2006/.
________________End of message______________________
This Disability-Research Discussion list is managed by the Centre for Disability Studies at the University of Leeds (www.leeds.ac.uk/disability-studies). Enquiries about the list administratione should be sent to [log in to unmask]
Archives and tools are located at:
www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/disability-research.html
You can JOIN or LEAVE the list from this web page.
|