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International IDEA is an inter-governmental forum for enhancing democracy. If you go to their website at www.idea.int you will see that their activities are mainly directed at building democracy in areas of conflict etc. Their membership consists at present time of 19 countries - one of them is indeed Australia. I personally think it's good that they acknowledge the fact that disabled people are a necessary target group when it comes to enhancing democratic processes. (As to the way invitations go and "experts" are named, we probably all would agree that this process could do with some democratisation and improvement as well.) The disability conference - which I haven't seen announced anywhere and which seem to have been an invitational affair - is presented at http://www.idea.int/press/newsflash/update_20020827.htm where you also can download conference papers etc. Participant list includes one Mr Michael Cook from PIANZEA/ Australian Electoral Commission. He would probably be the one to target for information why the PDCA's work was or wasn't on the agenda. As to the disability "connection" I would guess Bengt Lindqvist. Officially I haven't heard a thing about this from the disability "contingent" but that might not mean a thing since the news could have been spread through channels less official. Susanne ---------------------------------------------------- Susanne Berg Institute on Independent Living project coordinator www.independentliving.org Luntmakargatan 86 A 113 51 Stockholm Sweden telephone/fax: +46 8 15 73 54 mobile phone: +46 705 15 73 56 e-mail home: [log in to unmask] Annual report: www.independentliving.org/docs1/ilanrp2001.html Årsberättelse: www.independentliving.org/docs1/ilarsbrtls2001.html eb page. ________________End of message______________________ Archives and tools for the Disability-Research Discussion List are now located at: www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/disability-research.html You can JOIN or LEAVE the list from this web page.