The World Disability Symposium held in Istanbul from March 4-6, 2011, aimed to establish a global union for organizations advocating for the rights of persons with disabilities, uniting 138 NGOs from 43 countries. The initiative focuses on promoting dignity, autonomy, and access for the world's largest minority group, enabling collaboration and better integration for individuals with disabilities. The founding assembly of the World Disability Union is scheduled for October 3, 2011, representing a significant step towards global advocacy and support for disability rights.

1. World Disability Symposium &
Workshop
Istanbul
March 4 - 6, 2011
Report

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4. Abdullah GÜL
President, Republic of Turkey
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5. “Respect for
inherent dignity,
individual autonomy
including the
freedom to make
one's own choices,
and independence
of persons”
The Idea for a World Union of Organizations,
Institutions, Real and Legal Persons working for
Persons with Disabilities
People with disabilities constitute the world’s largest minority group. This
group has, until now, lacked a common forum to provide an environment for
the exchange of ideas, technology, ideology, know-how and experience
between the disability movements of developing and developed countries;
coordination between local, national and regional disability groups; and direct
advocacy for the rights of individuals with disabilities.
We firmly believe that the unity of all local, national, regional and international
Organizations of Persons with Disabilities which work for the promotion of the
rights of Persons with Disabilities and base their activities on the principles of
the United Nations and universal human rights is an indispensable condition
for the realization of a human society devoid of physical and social disabling
barriers against persons with impairments.
Our idea is guided by the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with
Disabilities, and UN World Programme of Action Concerning Disabled
Persons.
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6. “Full and effective participation and
inclusion in society”
The Idea for a World Union of Organizations,
Institutions, Real and Legal Persons Working all
together for Persons with Disabilities
To this end, 138 NGOs, Organizations, Institutions, and legal persons
from 43 countries in addition to hundreds of individuals took the first
step towards the foundation of the World Disability Union at the World
Disability Symposium and Workshop in Istanbul from March 4 to 6,
2011, organized by the World Disability Foundation.
• World Disability Foundation (WDF) is a national umbrella
organization headquartered in Istanbul with the aim to
spearhead the foundation of an international umbrella
organization for NGOs for disabled persons and bring together
the NGOs of the world.
• WDF enshrines the values of Justice, Equal Opportunity,
Compassion, Fraternity, Transparency, and Quality for all
Humans and Beings.
• Its maxim is "Servicing Humans for a Non-Disabled World of the
Future".
• WDF also undertakes many Enabling Projects including
Universal Design, Eurasia Spinal Cord Care Center, Geriatric
Care Center, Advanced Life Centre, Technical Medical
Equipment Research and Generation Centers, Olympic Sports
Complex Without Disabilities, World Handicapped Holiday
Camp, Rehabilitation Center for Handicapped Animals.
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7. “Respect for
difference and
acceptance of
persons with
disabilities as part
of human diversity
and humanity”
Strength Through Diversity
The World Disability Union will be based on a strong demographic and
organizational structure. The main strengths of a world union are:
First world union of its kind for persons with disabilities with a wide
participation of NGOs, Organizations, Institutions, Legal and Real
Persons from all corners of the world,
Organized action not only for roughly 650 million humans living with
a disability, but also for all humans who have the potential to
become disabled,
Organizational Cooperation and Development (Institutionalization),
International and National Representative Role,
Supervisory Role,
Advocacy Role,
Media Relations and Impact,
Academic Responsibility,
Implementation of non-disabled projects,
Horizontal spread of information, rights and practices.
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8. “Prevention of “Equality of
Disability” opportunity”
“Rehabilitation” “Accessibility”
Incentive for All Disability Organizations to
Participate
World Disability Union is expected to become the single largest
organization for the collaboration of local NGOs, Organizations,
Institutions, Legal persons of persons with disabilities and individuals
with disabilities, and bridging the gap between different challenges and
expectations in different countries.
NGOs from developed countries are postulated to benefit from a large
scale collaboration due to the opportunities for systematic information
exchange, technology trade, demand for new markets for medical and
technical products, promotion, qualified and inexpensive services,
health and disability tourism, new investment fields, common challenges
and social responsibility.
NGOs from developing countries are expected to benefit from a world
union due to the opportunity for achieving the ability to better connect
their home states with the persons with disabilities, work towards the
implementation of disability rights and projects, and integrate with the
world.
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9. “For a Barrier Free World”
Agenda of the World Disability Symposium and
Workshop
The main topics discussed at the The following set of NGO criteria were
World Disability Symposium and decided at the symposium and
Workshop in Istanbul from March 4 to workshops:
6, 2011 concerned the fundamentals of
the new world union of NGOs •NGOs, Organizations, Institutions,
scheduled to be founded in October Real and Legal Persons working in the
2011. general categories of disability
•Service Areas
The symposium saw discussions on
the details of an action plan to be •Prevention of Disability
implemented internationally and •Equal Opportunities
nationally by member NGOs, •Rehabilitation
Organizations, Institutions, Real and •Accessibility
Legal Persons; barrier-free projects, •Awareness
and finance models. •Social Security
•Self-sufficiency
Country reports were also presented •National and International Activities
at the symposium by many NGOs •Sources of Finance
regarding the status of persons with •Relation with international
disabilities in their home countries. A organizations
stark socio-economic difference was •Annual Budget
observed between developed and •Organizational Structure
developing countries. •Registered/Recognized NGO in home
Disability Law was another theme country
discussed at the symposium. The
concept of model regulations was
proposed to become a central goal of
the Union.
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10. Agreed Conclusions of the Symposium and
Agreed Conclusions of the Symposium and
Workshops
The following conclusions were decided by the participating NGOs who
displayed an intention to become founding members of the World
Disability Union:
1. A new international Union will be formed by NGOs to join efforts
and forces together and form a unique network of the disability
movement from countries with different levels of institutional and
technological development and different levels of participation in
social and work life by persons with disability.
2. The first General Assembly of the new international Union will be
held on 3rd October 2011, to establish the Union.
3. Revised texts of Draft By-Law and Regulations of the Union
according to remarks and suggestions made during the Workshops
will be sent to the Participants by April 30, 2011 with the aim of
receiving further remarks and suggestions.
4. Participants who wish to share their ideas and opinions on draft
texts will send their edits and revisions until May 30, 2011.
5. The English name of the Union will be changed, and a new name(s)
will be recommended to participants.
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11. A New Era for Advocacy of Disability Rights
The World Disability Union set out with the goal to serve all persons
with disabilities as a truly global and democratic collaboration among
organizations of persons with disabilities, to fully realize the goals of the
global movement for the rights of persons with disabilities, and act as
the single largest international umbrella body representative of all
persons with disabilities.
October 3, 2011 will be a milestone in the history of the disability
movement, and a step taken by all founding NGOs, Organizations,
Institutions, and Real and Legal Persons towards an integrated and
“enabled” world.
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12. “Unity Makes Strength”
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13. Contact
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