University Professor Peter Blanck to participate in U.N. Global Initiative for Inclusive Technologies forum in Quito, Ecuador

University Professor Peter Blanck to participate in U.N. Global Initiative for Inclusive Technologies forum in Quito, EcuadorFebruary 28, 2008Jaime Winne Alvarezjlwinne@syr.edu

Peter Blanck, University Professor and chair of the Burton Blatt Institute at Syracuse University (BBI), will participate in the United Nations Global Initiative for Inclusive Technologies forum (G3ict) on Monday, March 3, in Quito, Ecuador. The first Latin American forum, jointly organized by G3ict (a flagship advocacy initiative of the U.N. Global Alliance for ICT and Development) and the Ecuadorean Ministry of Social Development, will examine the best solutions to better serve persons with disabilities worldwide.

Blanck will chair and preside on a panel of international experts and update the status of U.S. and European Union legislation and international developments. He will present information on BBI’s innovative activities on the rights of persons with disabilities and their access to information technologies.

“I am delighted to participate in this important international event, which has implications for countries around the world,” says Blanck. Blanck’s visit to Ecuador is part of BBI’s global and domestic initiatives and activities and the institute’s growing reach in Central and South America.

Recently, BBI and the World Bank signed an agreement to support activities of the Global Partnership on Disability and Development (GPDD), an international disability network initiated by the World Bank and committed to promoting inclusive development as a means to achievement of Millennium Development Goals. Through research, training and community development activities, the GPDD will increase participation of people with disabilities in national poverty reduction efforts in developing countries.

BBI fosters public-private dialogue to advance civic, economic and social participation of persons with disabilities in a global society. The institute takes its name from Burton Blatt (1927-85), a pioneer in humanizing services for people with mental retardation, a staunch advocate of deinstitutionalization, and a national leader in special education. BBI currently has offices in Syracuse, New York City, Washington, D.C., Atlanta and Tel Aviv. For more information, visit http://bbi.syr.edu.

For more information on G3ict, visit http://g3ict.com.