What's New at GAATES: Co-operative Agreements

PRESS RELEASE For Immediate Release - September 9, 2009

ENAT and GAATES are very pleased to announce the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding the European Network for Accessible Tourism (ENAT) and GAATES

The European Network on Accessible Tourism (ENAT) is a philanthropic association under Belgian law, created for an unlimited period with the aim of promoting accessible tourism on a non-profit-making basis. The purpose of ENAT is to further the development of accessible tourism, as a means to greater social inclusion, at an international level. Its objectives are: to coordinate actions in support of the tourism activities of its members; to inform them on any subject relating to accessible tourism, in terms of its technical, economic, social, legal and cultural aspects; and to disseminate information concerning accessible tourism to the wider community.

Global Alliance on Accessible Technologies and Environments (GAATES) is an International not-for-profit organization dedicated to the promotion of accessibility of the built, social and virtual environments, so that people with disabilities and older persons are able to fully participate and contribute to society.

In view of the shared vision of ENAT's mission and GAATES's mission, the two organisations have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to collaborate in the following respects:

• The promotion, dissemination of understanding and implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and its Optional Protocol;
• The promotion and implementation of accessibility as part of the building, adaptation, re-construction and operation of sustainable built, social and virtual environments;
• The promotion and implementation of accessibility as an integral part of sustainable development;
• The transfer of knowledge and capacity-building through jointly presented workshops and training programmes;
• The promotion of effective communication through the provision of alternative formats, telecommunications and electronic information and communication technology products.

ENAT and GAATES agree to work together to support each other's objectives and mission to improve the the social, economic and cultural participation of people with disabilities and older persons by building a society accessible for all.

ENAT President, Lilian Müller and GAATES President, Betty Dion will formally confirm the MoU at the ENAT International Congress in Venna on 1st October 2009.

---

Collaborative Agreement between Disabled Peoples International (DPI) and GAATES

Disabled Peoples' International (DPI) and GAATES are both International not-for-profit organizations dedicated to ensuring the inclusion of people with disabilities, and the promotion of accessibility of the built, social and virtual environments, so that people with disabilities and older persons are able to fully participate and contribute to society.

DPI and GAATES have singed a collaborative agreement to work together to support each other's objectives and mission to improve the social, economic and cultural participation of people with disabilities by building a society accessible for all.

In viewing of the shared vision of DPI's mission and GAATES' mission, the entities sign this memorandum of understanding to collaborate in the following respects:

• The promotion, dissemination of understanding and implementation of the UN Convention on the rights of Persons with Disabilities and its Optional Protocol.
• The promotion and implementation of accessibility as part of the building, adaptation, and re-construction of sustainable built social and virtual environments.
• The promotion and implementation of accessibility as an integral part of sustainable development.
• The transfer of knowledge and capacity-building through jointly presented workshops and training programs.
• The promotion of effective communication through the provision of alternative formats, telecommunications and electronic information and communication technology products.

DPI and GAATES agree to work together to support each other's objectives and mission to improve the social, economic and cultural participation of people with disabilities by building a society accessible for all.

Collaborative Agreement between The Gulf Disability Society and GAATES

The Gulf Disability Society is a humanitarian, non-governmental organization which seeks to unify efforts in accessibility field within GCC countries by coordinating between the concerned, find the best ways to develop services given to disabled people in the GCC countries and promote the GCC countries to create laws and legislations related to disabled people. The Society Achieves it's goals by among other things, creating information centers; sponsoring conferences, symposiums and academic meetings in the field of disability; and by establishing strong relations with scientific forums and Arab and international disability related societies.

The Higher Committee for Disabled Affairs and GAATES entities sign this memorandum of agreement to collaborate in several area, including: Introducing the UN Convention For People With Disabilities; The promotion and implementation of accessibility as part of the building, adaptation, and re-construction of sustainable built, social and virtual environments in the Gulf region; Conducting a series of training courses for architects and engineers to shed a light on accessibility in the build environment; The provision of technical expertise in the development of accessible electronic, information and communication technologies; and The transfer of knowledge and capacity building through workshops and training programs between the committee and GAATES.

The Higher Committee for Disabled Affairs and GAATES agree to work together to support each others objectives and mission to improve the lives of people with disabilities and make the urban environment in Bahrain more humanitarian.

Collaborative Agreement between The Supreme Committee for Disabled Affairs and GAATES

The Supreme Committee for Disabled Affairs is responsible for study and policy preparations for the care and rehabilitation and employment of people with disabilities in particular:

• Programs planning and coordination for the care and rehabilitation of the people with disabilities
• Crating rules for determining the basic needs to take care and rehabilitate people with disabilities and monitoring rehabilitation centers acceptance terms.
• Creating regulation and determining procedures for the implementation of the obligations set in the ministry of this law on people with disabilities.
• Suggestion of laws and regulations about people with disabilities

This collaborative agreement forms the relationship by which the parties agree to jointly participate in the following:

• Conducting a series of training courses for architects and engineers to shed a light on accessibility in the build environment.
• The promotion and implementation of accessibility as part of the building, adaptation, and re-construction of sustainable built, social and virtual environments.
• The provision of technical expertise in the development of accessible electronic, information and communication technologies.
• The promotion and implementation of accessible user interface technologies.
• The promotion of effective communication through the provision of alternative formats, telecommunications, and electronic, information and communication technology products.
• The transfer of knowledge and capacity building through workshops and training programs between the two parties.
• Facilitate accessibility for technology and environment in the kingdom of Bahrain and work together to support the common objectives which lead to improve the lives of people with disabilities and make the urban environment more humanitarian.

Both parties will cooperate to collect data and information on the requirements and needs of persons with disabilities to provide a safe environment and the utilization of technology to facilitate movement and mobility.

The Arab Urban Development Institute (AUDI)

The Arab Urban Development Institute (AUDI) is a non-governmental, not-for-profit urban research, technical and consulting body based in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. AUDI operates to enhance quality of municipal services in Arab towns and cities. AUDI is the technical and scientific branch of the Arab Towns Organization (ATO) undertaking training, research, consultations and documentation in addition to any activities that may help in realizing ATO objectives.

Whereas AUDI and GAATES share the same vision. Therefore, the two parties have decided to realize a Memorandum of Understanding herein. Fields of cooperation shall be as follows:

• Conduct joint training programs in Arab capital cities to educate architects and engineers of principles of universal design and accessibility in the built environments. Communicate with donors and concerned cities to arrange for obtaining the necessary funding.
• Disseminate the understanding of (United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities), which has been approved by 120 state worldwide in March 2007.
• The promotion and implementation of accessibility as part of the building, adaptation, and re-construction of sustainable built, social and virtual environments.
• The provision of technical expertise in the development of accessible electronic, information and communication technologies.
• The promotion and implementation of accessible user interface technologies.
• The promotion of effective communication through the provision of alternative formats, telecommunications, and electronic, information and communication technology products.
• Dissemination of knowledge and building capabilities through collaborative training programs and workshops.

Moreover, AUDI and GAATES shall cooperatively support mutual vision and objectives aiming at the enhancement of quality of life of people with disabilities and making Arab cities more accessible.

GAATES and the Zayed Higher Organization for Humanitarian Care, Special Needs and Minors Affairs

While at the ACCESS Abu Dhabi Conference on Special Needs, a Memorandum of Agreement was signed between GAATES and the Zayed Higher Organization for Humanitarian Care, Special Needs and Minors Affairs to collaborate on future projects benefiting people with disabilities in the Arab region.

The Memorandum outlines area of collaboration:

• the promotion and implementation of accessibility in the built, virtual and social environments
• the provision of technical expertise in the development of accessible electronic, information and communication technologies (EICTs)
• the promotion of effective communication through the provision of alternate formats and telecommunications
• the promotion and implementation of accessibility as an integral part of sustainable development
• the transfer of knowledge and capacity building through workshops and training programs.

---

Meetings - Sharjah City for Humanitarian Services (SCHS)

In conjunction with Betty's visit to the Arab Region for the ACCESS AbuDhabi meetings, Betty and Mukhtar Al Shibani were able to meet with the Sharjah City for Humanitarian Services (SCHS) in order to discuss their mutual goals and reach a reciprocal Memorandum of Agreement between GAATES and the Sharjah City for Humanitarian Services (SCHS) to collaborate on future projects benefiting people with disabilities in the Arab region.

The Memorandum entities the organizations to collaborate on:

• the promotion and implementation of accessibility in the built, virtual and social environments
• the provision of technical expertise in the development of accessible electronic, information and communication technologies (EICTs)
• the promotion of effective communication through the provision of alternate formats and telecommunications
• the promotion and implementation of accessibility as an integral part of sustainable development
• the transfer of knowledge and capacity building through workshops and training programs.

---

---

Last updated: September 9, 2009