Top officials visit a stall on the sidelines of the Dubai Inclusive Development Forum.

A major initiative was launched on Sunday to turn Dubai into a disability friendly city by 2020.

The aim of the Dubai Inclusive Development Forum 2015, organized by the General Secretariat of the Executive Council of Dubai on Oct. 11-12, is to benefit from the international experiences and discuss the challenges and alternatives that contribute to achieving the ultimate goal of the My Community… A City for Everyone program.

Under the patronage of Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed bin Rashed Al-Maktoum, chairman of the Higher Committee for the Protection of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, the initiative, aims to spread and exchange knowledge regarding the various fields related to the rights of persons with disabilities and the best ways and methods that support their full and effective inclusion in the general life activities.

“We believe in the capacity of the persons with disabilities to participate in the development and building of the future of the emirate. All government entities cooperate together to support this important segment of society by working on the development of policies to provide all the things that help them achieve their objectives and ensure the normal practice of their daily lives,” said Abdullah Al Shaibani, secretary-general of the Executive Council of Dubai and vice chairman of the Higher Committee for the Protection of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

Aisha Miran, assistant secretary-general of Strategy Management and Governance Sector, at the General Secretariat of the Executive Council of Dubai, said: “Through this forum, we aim to discuss and develop the policies related to persons with disabilities in Dubai, which promote and facilitate their implementation and evaluation to ensure they are able to participate in decision-making. Throughout the stages of development of policies and programs, we seek to involve persons with disabilities in the government task forces formed for this purpose that are meeting today to discuss the ambitious programs set.”

Salem Alshafei, director of Policies and Programs for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities at the secretariat, said: “The forum includes dialogue sessions and workshops through which several practical experiences will be presented showing the experiences of the persons with disabilities in the various aspects of life and how to ensure they obtain their full rights within an inclusive community free from obstacles.”

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