The Permanent Mission of Austria & the International Disability Alliance, together with the Permanent Missions of Australia, Brazil, China, Ecuador, Ethiopia, Finland, Mexico, New Zealand, Spain and Thailand, as well as the European Network on Independent Living, cordially invite you to the Side Event:
Independent Living for All: Towards Inclusive and Sustainable Societies
5 March 2015
10-12am – Room XXVII, Palais des Nations
– Discuss the challenges to promote independent living;
– Present innovative policies & practices enhancing independent lives of persons with disabilities from
– Explore ways on how to strengthen work towards “a world without barriers”.
H.E. Thomas HAJNOCZI, Permanent Representative of Austria to the UN in Geneva
H.E. Lenín Voltaire MORENO GARCES, UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy on Disability and
Catalina DEVANDAS, Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
Lisa MACNAB, Down Syndrome International: What means Independent Living for me?
Nadia HADAD, European Network on Independent Living: My human rights through Independent
Frédérique WIEMEIJER, Essl Foundation & Ingrid HEINDORF, World Future Council: The Zero Project
Report 2015 on Independent Living & Political Participation – Social Indicators, Innovative Practices and
H.E. Thani THONGPHAKDI, Permanent Representative of Thailand to the UN in Geneva,
H.E. Regina Cordeiro DUNLOP, Permanent Representative of Brazil to the UN in Geneva, &
H.E. Yisheng REN, Minister Counsellor of China to the UN in Geneva.
Refreshments will be served. Captioning will be provided.
With support of the Zero Project, an initiative of the Essl Foundation, in partnership with the World
Future Council & the European Foundation Centre.
