After the preparatory discussion for one year, APDF was formally established as a new NGO network on disability in the Asia and Pacific region at the Inaugural Meeting in Singapore on November 26, 2003.
At is forty-eighth session, hosted by the Government of China in Beijing in 1992, the UN ESCAP declared the period 1993 to 2002 as the Asian and Pacific Decade of Disabled Persons. From 1993 to 2002, annual Campaigns were held in various countries to raise public awareness of, and to mobilize support for, the Decade goals of full participation and equality of people with disabilities. The annual campaigns also provided a platform for the disabled persons as well as non disabled participants from the Asian & Pacific region to network and share experiences, problems and ideas. Much gains have been achieved in creating awareness about the situation of people with disabilities in the Asian and Pacific region. The Osaka Forum, held in Oct 2002, signaled the last of the ten Campaigns. The Regional NGO Network(RNN) which was established for the purpose of organizing the annual conferences, was dissolved after the Osaka Forum.
At the Osaka Forum, the idea of forming a new regional NGO network on disability was welcomed by various sectors to strengthen regional initiatives and momentum to meet the rising expectations and demands of the New Millennium. The name of the new network was decided as "Asia and Pacific Disability Forum" (in short, APDF).
Secretary General :
Mr. Ryosuke Matsui, Vice President, RI for Asia and the Pacific and Vice President, Japanese Society for Rehabilitation ofPersons with Disabilities
E-mail address : matsuir@mt.tama.hosei.ac.jp
Convention :
Mr.Monthian Buntan, Executive Committee Member, World BlindUnion and 1st Vice President, Thailand Association of the Blind
E-mail address : mbuntan@tab.or.th
Research and Development : Co-chairs
Mr. Topong Kulkhanchit, Regional Coordinator, DPI Asia and the Pacific
E-mail address :
rdo@dpiap.org
Mr. Hyung Shik Kim, RI National Secretary for Korea, Korean Society for Rehabilitation of Persons with Disabilities
E-mail address : hskim924@hotmail.com Hskim924@hanrw.ac.kr
Information :
Dr. Joseph Kwok, Chairperson, RANAP (Rehabilitation ActionNetwork for Asia and the Pacific) and Hong Kong Physically andMentally Disabled Persons,
E-mail address : ssjk@cityu.edu.hk
Conference : Absent until next conference venue is decided.
Gender Issue :
Ms. Supattraporn Tanatikom, ILP Co-ordinator, DPI Asia PacificRegion,
E-mail address : sarahmai@ksc.th.com
Fund Raising and Sponsorship : Co-chairs
Mr. Godfrey Ooi Goat See, Deputy Director ofMalaysian Council for Rehabilitation (MCR)
E-mail address : scsw@tm.net.my mablind@po.jaring.my
Mr. Frank hall-Bentick, Disability Australia
E-mail address : fhallbentick@connexus.net.au
Japanese Society for Rehabilitation of Persons with Disabilities
1-22-1, Toyama, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, 162-0052, Japan
phone 813-5273-0601
fax 813-5273-1523
Attention: Ms. Etsuko Ueno, eueno@dinf.ne.jp