Cultural Events
Digital Video Conference Connects Advocates for the Disabled in the U.S. and Uzbekistan (12/18/2007)
The U.S. Embassy hosted a Digital Video Conference (DVC) entitled “Disability and Ability” on December 18 to commemorate the International Day of Disabled Persons, which is celebrated around the world every year on December 3. The DVC featured Ms. Deborah Leuchovius, Ms. Shauna McDonald and Ms. Sue Folger who work at the PACER Center in Minneapolis, a nonprofit organization that strives to expand opportunities and enhance the quality of life of children and young adults with disabilities and their families, based on the concept of parents helping parents. The speakers discussed U.S. practices and experience protecting the interests of and creating equal opportunities for the disabled.
U.S. Ambassador to Uzbekistan Richard Norland opened the event with welcoming remarks, underscoring the many positive changes that have taken place in the United States recently in regard to those with disabilities. He explained some of the protections for the disabled extended by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which President George Bush signed into law in 1990.
The Ambassador also mentioned the challenges that people with disabilities face in Uzbekistan and recognized the assistance that the Uzbek government, NGOs, and international organizations provide to accommodate the needs of disabled persons. After the Ambassador spoke, a recent alumnus of Post’s Advocacy for the Disabled International Visitor Program shared highlights of her experience in the U.S., including her visit to the PACER Center.
Next, the representatives of the PACER Center gave an overview of the center’s development, talked about their roles at the Center and also shared their personal life experience raising children with disabilities. They explained that the trend in the U.S. is towards inclusive education, which prompted an NGO representative to ask how to introduce such inclusive education in a society in which the families of the disabled and the public may not be ready to accept such changes. The speakers responded that the government may need to lay the groundwork with legislation that will require schools to accept and accommodate students with disabilities, and which also requires families to send their children to regular schools. The speakers stressed that people in Uzbekistan should not expect these changes to occur overnight and that the parents of disabled children should take an active role in the entire process as they are the true experts on their children’s needs.
The DVC was attended by over 30 people from six different regions of Uzbekistan who represent disabled people’s NGOs, community leaders, the government, doctors, psychologists, and social workers who address issues related to disabilities. The audience - made up of both Uzbek and Russian disabled persons and those who work with the disabled - was impressed by the work that the PACER Center does to promote equal access to education, employment, and information. The participants were also interested to learn about the wealth of information available on different websites for researchers and practitioners in the field of disabled services.
For additional information on the PACER Center’s work, visit www.pacer.org.
This DVC was the sixth such video conference that the U.S. Embassy has held during the past year. Past topics included Alternative Energy, Islam in the United States, and Women’s and Minority Issues.