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Makassar is Ready to Welcome Participants of the ASEAN High Level Forum on Disabilities

Makassar is Ready to Welcome Participants of the ASEAN High Level Forum on Disabilities
Writer :
Alif Mufida Ulya
Translator :
Karlina Irsalyana

 MAKASSAR (6 October 2023) - Makassar is ready to welcome the arrival of guests participating in the ASEAN High Level Forum on Disabilities or ASEAN High Level Forum (AHLF) on Disability-Inclusive Development and Partnership beyond 2025. The activity will take place on 10-12 October 2023. Around 200 participants will attend to the meeting.  Apart from Ministers of Social Affairs and high-level ASEAN officials, this activity will also be attended by representatives of ASEAN Sector Bodies, ASEAN affiliated organizations, organizations of persons with disabilities, ASEAN dialogue partners, and academics.

 "We, from Ministry of Social Affairs, are coordinating with the local government, preparing easy access for persons with disabilities at several points in Makassar," said Minister of Social Affairs Tri Rismaharini in her statement in Makassar.  Throughout September, Minister of Social Affairs has been to Makassar twice, checking directly on preparations to welcome AHLF and ensuring the availability of disability-friendly access.

 In this forum, Ministry of Social Affairs will demonstrate one of the best practices for handling disabilities through Wirajaya Center in Makassar.  The delegates will be scheduled to visit Wirajaya. "We want to show the disability services that we have handled," said the Minister of Social Affairs.

 The Secretary of the South Sulawesi Provincial Social Office , Muhammad Bakri, expressed a similar thing regarding Makassar's readiness to welcome delegation guests on October 10-12.  "We have prepared a number of supporting facilities to open access for persons with disabilities," said Bakri in Makassar, Thursday (5/10).

 Improvements to disability access were carried out in various places, including places the delegation will visit, such as Fort Rotterdam, Leang-leang Archaeological Park and Bantimurung-Bulusaraung National Park in Maros Regency.

 According to Bakri, the availability of disability accessibility facilities is also to show the world the support of Indonesia, in particular Makassar, towards persons with disabilities.  This is in line with the principles of the AHLF performance which upholds the spirit of support of ASEAN countries towards persons with disabilities.

 Apart from preparing access and facilities, Makassar has also prepared a number of dancers with disabilities to show their abilities in front of delegates from ASEAN countries.  A number of entrepreneurial productions and handicrafts made by persons with disabilities will also be exhibited at the event.

 AHLF on Disability-Inclusive Development and Partnership beyond 2025 is one of a series of ASEAN Summits under the chairmanship of Indonesia.  This forum will identify challenges in ASEAN in strengthening disability inclusive development, including through learning from the impact of the pandemic situation on the lives of persons with disabilities.

 This forum will also evaluate the progress of efforts to mainstream persons with disabilities into all pillars of ASEAN society, as well as project effective cooperation and partnerships in the future.
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