School of Education Dean Douglas Biklen was invited to speak at the United Nations Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities Fifth Conference of State Parties at the UN headquarters in New York City on Sept. 12. Biklen spoke on the panel “Working Together to Implement Inclusive Education” about the UNESCO/Emir Jaber al-Ahmed al-Jaber al-Sabah Prize he accepted in February in Kuwait for his work promoting opportunity and education for persons with educational disabilities.
Biklen participated in a 90-minute panel, which took place on the first day of the three-day conference. Biklen’s co-panelists included Regional Education Advisor Philippe Testot-Ferry and Consultant on Education and Disability Equality Richard Rieser. Biklen spoke from his professional experience on the struggles for those with disabilities of all kinds to receive proper and equal education in their schools and communities.
“The UN is playing an extremely active role in promoting school inclusion, something that Syracuse University’s School of Education has championed for more than 40 years,” Dean Biklen says. “The focus of this particular event is especially important, as it links the use of information and communication technology with the goal of inclusive education.”
The goal of the Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities is to move forward equal opportunity and inclusive education initiatives, as well as initiatives to promote community involvement and acceptance of those with disabilities.
To learn more about the Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities, visit www.un.org/disabilities/.
