The Division for Social Development Issues and Policies of the United Nations Economic
and Social Commission for Western Asia, with the assistance of the Division for Social
Policy and Development of the United Nations Secretariat, will organize a Workshop and
Seminar on "Environmental accessibility - issues in planning and design of accessible
urban development" from 30 November to 3 December 1999 at Beirut. The Government of
Lebanon, Ministry of Social Affairs, Lebanese National Committee of Disabled Persons, and
the Lebanese Company for Development and Reconstruction of the Beirut Central District
(SOLIDERE) are cooperating with the Seminar and Workshop.
The Workshop and Seminar aim to promote greater awareness and support for comprehensive
approaches to environmental accessibility, with an emphasis on norms, standards, concepts,
approaches and methods appropriate to developing countries. Among the key resources for
the Workshop and Seminar is the SOLIDERE "Design Manual for a
Barrier-free Environment" (Beirut, 1998), which is now available on the Internet
at http://www.un.org/esa/socdev/enable/designm.
The Seminar will provide a forum to exchange knowledge and experience and to identify
leading issues and trends in environmental accessibility. The Workshop will focus on
building national capacities for accessible urban development - initially among interested
countries in Western Asia. Both activities are expected to promote increased networking
among interested communities at all levels, and their results will contribute to the
global body of knowledge on integrated approaches to environmental accessibility.
For more information on the Workshop and Seminar, please contact:
Division for Social Development Issues and Policies
United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia
Mr. Akil Akil, Chief
P.O. Box 11-8575
Beirut, Lebanon
Facsimile: ++ (961-1) 981 510~12
Focal point for workshop/seminar preparations:
Mr. Antoine Haddad (ahaddad@escwa.org.lb)
