World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2019 to Highlight Disability Inclusion

  • The need to bolster inclusion for the 1 billion people in the world living with a disability will be a main message at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2019
  • A major exhibition, ACCESS+ABILITY, will profile ingenious designs made with and by people with disabilities
  • Alongside panels, workshops and other sessions, business leaders will launch #valuable, a campaign aimed at committing businesses to putting disability on the boardroom agenda
  • For more information, please visit www.weforum.org

Geneva, Switzerland, 14 December 2018 – The need to build amore inclusive society must include the estimated 1 billion people in the worldliving with a disability. This will be a key message at the World EconomicForum Annual Meeting 2019, on 22-25 January in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland.


 
The meeting will bring together over 3,000 participants from government,international organizations, business, civil society, media, culture, as wellas the foremost experts and young people from all over the world. Under thetheme, Globalization 4.0:Creating a Global Architecture in the Age of the Fourth Industrial Revolution,participants will focus on identifying new ideas and solutions to ensure thatany further global integration will be more inclusive and sustainable.
 
To highlight that inclusion must extend to those with disabilities and thatpeople with disabilities have much to offer society and the economy, the AnnualMeeting will host a major exhibition, ACCESS+ABILITY. Developed incollaboration with Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum, it will featuredesigns made with and by people with disabilities and demonstrate thatdesigning for inclusion spurs innovation and benefits everyone. Items includean eye-tracking device for hands-free communication, adaptive clothing and aBraille smartwatch.
 
Among disability advocates participating in the Annual Meeting are: Gina Badenoch, Social Entrepreneur; Susanne Bruyère, Director, Institute onEmployment and Disability, Cornell University; Sinéad Burke, Writer and Educator; Caroline Casey, Inclusivity Activist; Yetnebersh Nigussie, Lawyer and Educator; Paul Polman, Chief Executive Officer,Unilever; Susannah Rodgers, Paralympian Athlete; and Thorkill Sonne, Social Entrepreneur.
 
“With people living longer and chronic health conditions increasing, mostindividuals will experience disability at some point during life. Caring forpeople with disabilities is in everyone’s interest. Together, we must design amore inclusive world that takes care of everyone’s current and future needs,”said Nico Daswani, Head of Arts and Culture at the World Economic Forum.
 
Sessions on disability inclusion

  • Tuesday 22 January, 08.30 – 09.15: Betazone: Designing for Everyone – Stories of inclusive designs and best practices. With Sinéad Burke, Writer; and Caroline Baumann, Director, Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum
  • Wednesday 23 January: 16.30 – 17.45: Workshop: Making Disability Inclusion Work – Workshop with practical toolkit for making organizations more accessible. With Susan Bruyere, Cornell University
  • Thursday 24 January, 11.00 – 11.45: Panel Discussion: An Inclusive Future of Education – Dialogue on how to build disability-inclusive school and education systems. With Yetnebersh Nigussie, Lawyer and Educator
  • Thursday 24 January, 15.30 – 16.00: Press Conference: The #valuable Campaign – Campaign aimed at committing 500 businesses to putting disability on the boardroom agenda. With Paul Polman, Chief Executive Officer, Unilever; and Caroline Casey, Inclusivity Activist
  • Thursday 24 January, 17.00 – 18.00: Panel Discussion: The Accessibility Revolution – Setting an ambitious new standard for disability inclusion in 2019. With Paul Polman, Chief Executive Officer, Unilever

Other highlights

  • Davos in the Dark: A collective experience in total darkness, led by visually impaired guides, which aims to change perceptions of the self and what people with different abilities can do

#valuable campaign: A worldwide call to action for business to positiondisability on the business agenda and recognize the value and worth of the 1billion people globally living with a disability

The World Economic Forum,committed to improving the state of the world, is the InternationalOrganization for Public-Private Cooperation. The Forum engages the foremostpolitical, business and other leaders of society to shape global, regional andindustry agendas. (www.weforum.org).