The 16th Informal ASEM Seminar on Human Rights will be held from 8-10 November 2016 in Beijing, China. Hosted by the People’s Republic of China Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the China Disabled People’s Federation and China University of Political Science and Law, the Seminar will focus on the theme “Persons with Disabilities and Human Rights”.
2016 is a key year for this seminar series – not only is the topic of ‘persons with disabilities and human rights’ important in enhancing cooperation among ASEM countries on disability issues, but also because Switzerland formally joins the Informal ASEM Seminar on Human Rights as one of the co-organisers along with ASEF, the Swedish Raoul Wallenberg Institute, the French Ministry of Foreign and International Development, and the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs.
Expected to be attended by over 120 participants, the Seminar will provide a platform for an exchange of views on the rights of persons with disabilities among senior government officials, human rights ambassadors, academics as well as disability experts and advocates, including representatives of the ASEAN Disability Forum, the European Disability Forumand the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, amongst other international and national organisations.
Key messages from the Seminar will be shared with ASEM Partners and civil society members. The Seminar report will also be available for free download on ASEF website.