Busan City to Host the '2023 Busan World Disabled Persons Championship'

From 7th to 11th at BEXCO: 'Global Transformation: Challenges and Opportunities' Theme

Opening Ceremony at 2 PM on the 7th, Promoting Disability Rights... International Community Discussions

The ‘2023 Busan World Disabled Persons’ Conference,’ the first international event in the field of disability welfare hosted by Busan City, is just one day away.

Official poster.

Busan City will hold the 2023 Busan World Disabled Persons’ Conference for five days from the 7th to the 11th at BEXCO in Busan.

Under the theme “Great Transformation of the Global Village, Its Challenges and Opportunities,” this conference, which continues until the 11th, is co-hosted by Busan City and the Disabled Peoples’ International Korea (DPI Korea, President Lee Young-seok), and organized by the 2023 Busan World Disabled Persons’ Conference Organizing Committee (Co-Chairs Moon Ae-jun and Oh Jun).

This international event, which brings together people with disabilities from six continents covering 15 types of disabilities, is the first event of its kind hosted by a local government in Korea.

By hosting the event in Busan, it holds great significance as an opportunity to build Busan’s image as a disability-friendly human rights leading city and further enhance South Korea’s international stature.

The conference provides a platform for international disability-related organizations and groups to discuss ways to guarantee the lives and human rights of persons with disabilities amid global crises and the great transformation of digital information technology.

Participating disability-related international organizations and groups include ▲United Nations Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UN CRPD), ▲International Labour Organization (ILO), ▲Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), ▲International Disability Alliance (IDA), and ▲Disabled Peoples’ International (DPI).

To promote the implementation of international disability-related frameworks such as the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and the Asia-Pacific Decade of Persons with Disabilities (’23?’32), the conference aims to strengthen international solidarity and cooperation within the domestic and global disability communities.

Over five days, attendees can experience a variety of programs including international disability conferences, the World Congress of Disabled Peoples’ International, exhibitions, cultural and artistic programs, and local tours.

▲(Opening Ceremony) The opening ceremony, held at 2 p.m. on the 7th, will begin with an opening declaration by Moon Ae-jun, Co-Chair of the Organizing Committee, followed by welcome speeches from Mayor Park Hyung-joon and Lee Young-seok, President of DPI Korea, and a congratulatory address by Ban Ki-moon, the 8th Secretary-General of the United Nations. Prime Minister Han Duck-soo will deliver a congratulatory message via video. After the ceremony, there will be a tour of the exhibition hall.

▲(Sessions) The conference is divided into four core themes: ▲New Social Consensus Based on Human Rights, ▲New Digital Compact, ▲Disability-Inclusive Development, and ▲Implementation and Localization of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Keynote speeches, special lectures, and roundtable discussions will be held on these topics.

▲(Keynote Speeches) Renowned international figures in the disability community will deliver keynote speeches on the 7th and 8th. Speakers include ▲Gertrude Oforiwa Fefoame, Chair of the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, ▲Yannis Vardakastanis, President of the International Disability Alliance, ▲Maria Soledad Cisternas Reyes, UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy on Disability and Accessibility, and ▲Kim Mi-yeon, member of the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

▲(Roundtable Discussions) From the 7th to the 9th, roundtable discussions will take place. The first topic is ▲‘Inclusive Education for All.’

Regarding inclusive education for persons with disabilities emphasized by the UN and other international organizations, a lively discussion will be held by ▲Oh Jun, Co-Chair of the Organizing Committee (Chair), ▲Nawaf Kabbara, President of the Arab Disability Association, ▲Gerel Dondovdorj, member of the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, ▲Kim Hyung-soo, Secretary-General of the Disabled Students Support Network, and ▲Kang Kyung-sook, Professor of Special Education at Wonkwang University.

Other topics include ▲‘Disability-Inclusive Employment,’ ▲‘ICT Policy and Disability Inclusion/Government Policy,’ ▲‘Resource Development for Disability-Inclusive Development and Human Capacity Building,’ ▲‘Community Integration,’ and ▲‘Asia-Pacific Decade of Persons with Disabilities.’ Along with special lectures, over 30 domestic and international experts from various fields will gather to share policies and realities regarding disability rights worldwide and explore international cooperation measures to improve their quality of life.

▲(Parallel Sessions) On August 9th and 10th, 14 parallel sessions will be held. The first session, ▲International Exchange Symposium for Persons with Developmental Disabilities, will feature presentations by Yoshinaga Tomoki, Director of Tanpopo House, and Park Kyung-min, Research Professor at Pusan National University, discussing support measures for international exchange of artists with developmental disabilities. Other seminars will cover topics such as ▲Independent Living for Persons with Disabilities in Facilities, ▲Human Rights of Disabled Migrants, ▲Asia-Pacific Independent Living Center Network, ▲Traditional Korean Medicine for Health Care and Rehabilitation of Persons with Disabilities, ▲Deinstitutionalization of Psychosocially Disabled Persons, ▲Disability Rights and Judiciary, ▲Leisure Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and ▲Current Status and Challenges of Quality of Life for Children with Disabilities.

▲(Highlight Session) The highlight session, ‘History and Prospects of World Disabled Women’s Human Rights,’ will be held at 4 p.m. on August 9th. Participants include ▲Kang Kyung-hwa, former Minister of Foreign Affairs, ▲Kim Mi-yeon, member of the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, ▲Moon Ae-jun, Co-Chair of the Organizing Committee (Chair), and ▲Catalina Devandas, former UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. They will review the history of difficulties faced by disabled women and ways to overcome them, and discuss promoting their rights and dignity.

▲(World Disabled Peoples’ International Congress) DPI Korea, a co-hosting organization, will hold the World Congress of Disabled Peoples’ International, the Asia-Pacific Disability Organizations Federation (APDPO) Congress, and a meeting of four Northeast Asian countries.

Founded in 1981 with the goal of full social participation of persons with disabilities, Disabled Peoples’ International is an international organization with 152 member countries. At this Busan Congress, it plans to strengthen continental solidarity and cooperation and announce a vision for a new disability paradigm.

▲(Closing Ceremony) The closing ceremony on August 10th will share the outcomes of the 2023 Busan World Disabled Persons’ Conference and screen event videos from the conference period. A ‘Busan Declaration’ jointly signed by participating international organizations and groups will be adopted to promote the rights and human rights protection of persons with disabilities worldwide. The ceremony will conclude with closing remarks, a closing declaration, and commemorative photos.

▲(Exhibition) From the afternoon of August 7th to the 10th, the BEXCO Exhibition Hall 1 will host an exhibition featuring over 50 public institutions, companies, and disability organizations including the National Rehabilitation Center, Korea Employment Agency for Persons with Disabilities, and SK Telecom (SKT).

The exhibition will showcase ▲digital advanced technologies, ▲assistive devices, ▲vehicles for transportation-vulnerable groups, ▲mobile health care services, and ▲sales and exhibitions of products made by persons with severe disabilities. Various experience booths such as ▲drone experience zones, ▲driving experience for persons with disabilities, and ▲braille experience will also be operated.

(Cultural and Artistic Events) Alongside the exhibition, cultural and artistic programs will be held. At BEXCO Exhibition Hall 1, programs include ▲disability cultural arts ‘On:Gru,’ ▲new media art by persons with developmental disabilities, and ▲Busan Disabled Challenge Drone Soccer Competition. At the Busan Cinema Center, the ▲Busan International Disability Human Rights Film Festival and ▲Busan Value Spring Film Festival will take place.

Especially on August 7th at 6 p.m. in the Convention Hall, the opening performance by the Korea Disabled Culture and Arts Institute will be held. Featuring videos introducing Korea and Busan, performances by disabled artists from groups such as ▲Hanbit Art Troupe, ▲Dream On Art Dance Company, ▲Felice Ensemble, and ▲Beyond Dance Company will express the unique beauty of Korea and deliver messages of harmony and hope.

▲(Local Tours and Visits) On August 11th, local tours and visit programs will be conducted for overseas participants. They will visit exemplary disability welfare facilities such as the Busan Comprehensive Welfare Center for Persons with Disabilities and the Standard Workplace for Persons with Disabilities (Adela7), as well as representative tourist sites in Busan like EX The Sky and Nurimaru.

During the conference period, yacht tours around Haeundae, Oryukdo, and Gwangandaegyo Bridge will be offered to showcase the beauty of the coastal city of Busan to persons with disabilities worldwide.

▲(Metaverse) The conference incorporates metaverse convention technology. BEXCO, the venue, will be recreated in the metaverse, allowing visitors to participate in international conferences, visit exhibition booths, and experience various planned events in a 3D virtual space. Participants can create avatars resembling their faces and communicate with others using real-time translation in Korean, English, and French during chats. This will enable participation by overseas foreigners who find physical attendance difficult and persons with disabilities with mobility challenges, making it a barrier-free international conference.

The conference is free and open to all. Those wishing to participate can pre-register or register on-site via the conference website.

▲The conference website was launched on June 20th, allowing easy access to all schedules and programs at a glance.

For more information, please contact the 2023 Busan World Disabled Persons’ Conference Secretariat via email at secretariat.bwdc2023@gmail.com.

Lee Young-seok, President of DPI Korea, said, “After the COVID-19 pandemic, it is very welcome and grateful as a person with a disability that persons with disabilities from around the world are gathering in one place.” He added, “This conference will contribute to the development of the disability community in South Korea and the expansion of the international disability network.”

Mayor Park Hyung-joon stated, “The 2023 Busan World Disabled Persons’ Conference is a meaningful event where persons with disabilities, non-disabled persons, policymakers, and NGOs come together to share best practices in disability policy and promote disability rights amid the global crises facing society.” He added, “Through this conference, Busan will take the lead in creating a society where both persons with and without disabilities can be happy.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.