“EU International Co-operation Policy :
The Involvement of the Visually Impaired Movement"
Objective
To improve and widen knowledge on the financial instruments that the European
Union devotes to international development cooperation, with a view to making them
contribute more widely to the improvement of life conditions of blind people in
developing countries.
Secondly, to try and obtain an adequate coordination among the three fields of
action that are involved (the public sector, development NGOs and organizations of the
blind) in the actions being carried out, thus obtaining greater efficiency in
the management of resources.
Participants
There is a planned participation of people representing the most active
organizations in the field of international development cooperation, including
the most relevant public bodies. These representatives will play an active part
in the entire conference, promoting and participating in debates.
Methodology
The Conference is organized in round tables that will represent each of the
sectors involved : public organizations, NGOs that engage most with the
blind, organizations of the blind themselves and, finally, key international and prestigious humanitarian organizations.
The round tables will basically engage in debates. Each representative will make a
summarized presentation of the approach of his/her organization and the
chairperson will take an active part in guiding the debate around the table and
with the audience. 45 minutes will be set aside for each table for this
exercise.
It is important to underline that each table will have a rapporteur to
gather its conclusions. At the end of the conference, the rapporteurs will
present the provision of conclusions. A document will be published from these
results that will serve as a guide to everyone for their international
development cooperation activities. Finally, the aim is also to build a stronger
network, among all participants, to make coordination in this field more
effective.
Date : 20th – 22nd October 2006
Languages : Simultaneous translation Spanish-English
Accommodation : Hotel Confortel Alcalá Norte, C/ San Romualdo 30,
28037 Madrid
Conference venue :
Friday 20th October : Duques de Pastrana Palace, situated on the premises of the
ONCE Educational Resource Centre "Antonio Vicente Mosquete" in Paseo de la
Habana 208, Madrid
Saturday 21st - Sunday 22nd October : Hotel Confortel Alcalá Norte, C/ San Romualdo 30, 28037 Madrid
PROGRAMME
Friday 20th October
15.00 – 16.00 Distribution of accreditations (Duques de Pastrana Palace)
16.00 – 17.00
Opening
session :
-
Lord Low, European Blind Union (EBU) President
-
Dr. William Rowland, World Blind Union (WBU) President
-
Ms. Androulla Kaminara, Director Operations Quality Support, EuropeAid Cooperation Office, European Commission
-
Mr. Miguel Carballeda, Spanish National Organization of the Blind (ONCE) President
-
Ms. Dolores Martin Villalba, Director of the Cabinet of the Spanish International Cooperation Agency (Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation)
Presenter :
Mr. Fernando Carbajo, Director, European Parliament Office in Spain
17.00 – 17.15 Coffee break
17.15 – 18.00
Keynote address :
“The European Union's strategy in the field of international cooperation and
its main financial instruments : possibilities to improve the life conditions of
blind people in developing countries”
Speaker :
Ms. Androulla Kaminara, Director Operations Quality Support, EuropeAid Cooperation Office, European Commission
Presenter :
Mr. Fernando Carbajo, Director, European Parliament Office in Spain
18.00 – 18.30
Question and Answer session
18.30 – 19.30 Round Table One :
“Active participation of developing countries in drafting and implementing
the European international co-operation policy”
Speakers :
-
Mr. Ajai Kumar Mittal, Regional Director, National Institute for the Visually Handicapped (Asia)
-
Ms Elly Macha, Executive Director, African Union of the Blind (AFUB), Africa
-
Ms. Norma Toucedo, Coordinator, Latin America Union of the Blind (ULAC) Commission for the Promotion of Blind Women
Moderator :
Mr. Enrique Pérez, Secretary General WBU
Rapporteur :
Mr. John Heilbrunn, President of the EBU Cooperation Commission
21.00
Dinner at the hotel
Saturday 21st October
9.00 – 10.30 Round Table Two :
“National policies in international cooperation and the need for sectorial
policies in favour of people with disabilities”.
Speakers :
-
Ms. Marianne Frederiksen, NGO Consultant, Danish Counselling Service (Denmark)
-
Ms. Malin Alden, Secretary General, Solidarity, Human Rights, Inclusion Accessibility (SHIA), Sweden
-
Mr. Urbano Stenta, Advisor on Disability and Development, Italian Ministry for Foreign Affairs (Cooperazione Italiana)
-
Mr. Gonzalo Vega, Diplomat Officer of the Spanish International Cooperation Agency (AECI)
Moderator :
Mr. Rafael González Millán, member of the EBU Cooperation Commission
Rapporteur :
Mr. Christian Hugentobler, member of the EBU Cooperation Commission
10.30 – 11.15 Debate
11.15 – 11.30 Coffee break
11.30 – 13:00 Round Table Three :
“International Humanitarian Organizations and their contribution to the
improvement of the life conditions of blind people”
Speakers :
-
Ms. Hitomi Honda, Disability Adviser, World Vision International
-
Mr. Demetrio Fernandez Oñate, Secretary General, Spanish Lions Club Federation
-
Ms. Teresa Cavero Gomez, Oxfam International Senior Policy Researcher
-
Mr. José Manuel Gallardo, Head of the International Co-operation Department, Caritas International
-
Mr. Juan Manuel Suarez del Toro, President, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
Moderator :
Mr. Chris Friend, member of the EBU Cooperation Commission
Rapporteur :
Mr. José Esteves Correia, member of the EBU Cooperation Commission
13.00 – 13.45 Debate
13.45 – 15.30 Lunch
15.30 – 17.15 Round Table Four :
“The role of Development NGOs in international cooperation policies”
Speakers :
-
Mr. Larry Campbell, President, International Council for Education of people with Visual Impairment (ICEVI)
-
Mr. Michael Collins, Director, Hilton Perkins Programme
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Mr. Peter Ackland, Overseas Programme Director, Sight Savers International (SSI)
-
Ms. Monika Brenes, Policy and Consultancy Officer, Christoffel-Blindenmission (CBM)
-
Mr. Fernando Iglesias Garcia, Chief Executive Officer, ONCE Foundation for Solidarity with Blind People in Latin America (FOAL)
Moderator :
Mr. John Heilbrunn, President of the EBU Cooperation Commission
Rapporteur :
Mr. Arnt Holte, member of the EBU Cooperation Commission
17.15 – 18.00 Debate
20.00
Gala Dinner
Sunday 22nd October
9.00 – 10.30
Round Table Five :
“The blind movement in the European Union as a key player in the development
of international cooperation policies : a new concept of solidarity”
Speakers :
-
Mr Edouard Ferrero, Vice-President, Comité National pour la Promotion Sociale des Aveugles et des Amblyopes (CNPSAA)
-
Mr. Giuseppe Terranova, Cabinet Officer of the Unione Italiana Ciechi Board of Directors
-
Ms. Diane Stentoft, member of the International Board at Dansk Blindesamfund (DAB)
-
Mr. Francisco Alves, past President, Associaçao dos Cegos e Amblíopes de Portugal
-
Mr. Arnt Holte, Vice Executive Director, Norges Blindeforbund
-
Mr. Rafael González Millán, Executive Director International Relations, Organización Nacional de Ciegos Españoles (ONCE)
Moderator :
Lord Low, EBU President
Rapporteur :
Ms. Estefanía Mirpuri, Director, ONCE European Affairs Office
10.30 – 11.15 Debate
11.15 – 11.45 Coffee break
11.45 – 13.00
“Conclusions
and main challenges for the future : use of synergies such as efficient resource
management”
Speakers : Rapporteurs from the five Round Tables
-
Mr. John Heilbrunn
-
Mr. Christian Hugentobler
-
Mr. José Esteves Correia
-
Mr. Arnt Holte
-
Ms. Estefania Mirpuri
Moderator :
Ms. Ana Peláez, President, ONCE International Relations
13.00 – 13.30 Closing Ceremony
Speakers :
-
Mr. John Heilbrunn, President, EBU Cooperation Commission
-
Ms. Ana Peláez, President, ONCE International Relations
-
Mr. José María Gil Robles, past President, European Parliament
13.30 - 15.00 Farewell Cocktail
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