PRESS RELEASE: Brussels, 19 April 2010

Inclusion Europe, together with its member organizations Mencap UK and Lebenshilfe Germany, will hold a networking conference for the promotion of inclusive development cooperation. The conference is part of Inclusion Europe’s new project “Inclusive Development. Full Inclusion in Development Aid for People with Intellectual Disabilities and their Families”. The conference wants to discuss possibilities of better support for people with intellectual disabilities and their families in developing countries.

The one-day conference will explore in plenary sessions and discussion groups how inclusive policies can be promoted in development cooperation and will provide examples of good practice. The conference will also give a voice to speakers from developing countries to share their perspective with participants. Apart from a few discussion groups that are exclusively in English or German, all sessions will be interpreted into both languages.

Inclusion Europe, Mencap from the UK and Lebenshilfe Germany have recently embarked on the project. The goal of the project is to implement Article 32 of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD). According to the article, State Parties to the Convention should recognize the importance of development cooperation and undertake efforts to support international cooperation projects.

The project received funding from the European Union and will create a toolkit including guidelines on development cooperation as well as conducting national networking meetings.

For more information on the project, please visit the website:
www.inclusive-development.eu

About the organisers:

Inclusion Europe (IE) is the European voice and representation of over 60 member organizations of people with intellectual disabilities and their families. Founded in 1988, Inclusion Europe has a 20-year track record of successful operation and defending the rights of its constituency.

Lebenshilfe is a registered, non-profit organisation devoting itself entirely to people with intellectual disabilities and their families throughout Germany. It is politically and denominationally independent.

Mencap is the voice of learning disability. Everything they do is about valuing and supporting people with a learning disability and their families and carers.

For more information, please contact:

Silvana Enculescu
Communications Officer
s.enculescu@inclusion-europe.org

Inclusion Europe AISBL
The European Association of Societies of Persons with
Intellectual Disabilities and their Families

Galeries de la Toison d’Or
29 Chaussée d’Ixelles #393/32
B-1050 Brussels – Belgium

Tel. : +32-2-502 28 15
Fax : +32-2-502 80 10
www.inclusion-europe.eu