Solomon Islands participate in capacity building conference for persons with disabilities in Port Moresby

Solomon Islands is among more than 100 disabled person participants from the Asia Pacific region that are currently attending a week long conference which kicked off today at the Holiday Inn in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea.

The seminar, which focuses on capacity-building for self-help organisations of persons with disabilities (CBSHOD), is the first of its kind to be held in the Asia Pacific region with Papua New Guinea as the host country.

Other participants came from Japan, Thailand, China, the Philippines, Malaysia, Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, the Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, Nuei, Palau, Samoa, Tonga and Vanuatu. The delegates came with their personnel aides.

The opening ceremony began this morning with a walk to be staged by persons with disabilities and their aides from Holiday Inn down to Sir John Guise Stadium in Port Moresby where Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare was expected to officially open the seminar.

The workshop will include lectures, presentations, country reports, group discussions and small workshops along with a field visit to Dame Kidu’s Pari village – the first village in the country to adopt the self-help movement of disabled persons with community support.

With the theme “A Barrier Free and Inclusive Society”, the seminar contributes to the first of seven priority areas in the Biwako millenium framework which includes self-help organisations, women with disabilities, early detection, early intervention and education, training and employment, and access to built environments and public transport.

However, there is no confirmation on the number of participants or names of the representatives of Solomon Islands at that seminar.

Source: PNG National