A MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIRMAN

Dear persons with disabilities and friends of persons with disabilities,

In the name of the World Disability Foundation, I would like to begin by thanking all of you who have contributed in any way to the developments that have been carried out for persons with disabilities, in our country and in the world in general.

The World Disability Foundation is an organisation established in the name of and for the benefit of persons with disabilities The founders of the World Disability Foundation are figures well-known in Turkey and have granted their names, hearts and contributions to our Foundation and made its existence possible..

The OBJECTIVE OF OUR FOUNDATION is to establish an umbrella organisation, the World Disability Union.

OUR TARGET is increasing the potential of persons with disabilities; the largest minority of the world, and aid in helping them to become an active, effective and functional force in society.

According to the data of the World Health Organization (WHO), persons with disabilities constitute 12% of the world population. Persons with disabilities constitute a large minority with a population approaching 2 billion, together with their families and relatives. Persons with disabilities and disability have been adopted and declared to be a duty of nation states, as well as being taken as a responsibility and measurement of development of the societies in terms universal law.

Our request is that our World Disability Union project is supported in order to contribute to the implementation of the BM World Action Plan 1982 for people with disabilities, throughout the world.

As the World Disability Foundation, we aim for Justice, Love, Fellowship and Favour, with our eight projects primarily our World Disability Union project, in order to contribute to the UN Plan 1982.

Representing the World Disability Foundation - WDF, I would like to share our numerous activities with you.

1 – Besides my success as a musician, I also entered the Guinness Book of World Records by breaking the speed record of the visually handicapped on 02.4.2010 ,with my capacity as the Chairman of Foundation.

2 – We held the World Disability Union National Platform (DEBUEP) between the dates of 16.06.2010 and 23.06.2010. The Platform was held by the World Disability Foundation (WDF), Turkish Confederation for the Disabled (TSK), Turkish Association of Disabled People (TSD), Turkish Spinl Cord Injury Association (TOFD), Federation for the Hearing Impaired (İEF), World Aging Council (DÜNYAK), Federation for the Mentally Handicapped (ZÖF) and Bahçeşehir University (BU). At the platform, it was agreed in principle to establish the World Disability Union.

3 – We are continuing the technical infrastructure activities for our Barrier Free Projects such as Barrier Free City Planning, Barrier Free World Holiday Village, Barrier Free Olympic Sports Complex, Eurasia Spinal Cord healing House, Advanced Life Center, Geriatrics Center, Children s Rehabilitation Center, Technical & Medical Equipment Manufacturing Center, Disabled Animals Rehabilitation Center.

4 – We expect to hold the World Disability Forum in Istanbul between the dates of 01.12.2010-03.12.2010.

The theme of the Forum is establishing the World Disability Union for Prevention of Disability, Equal Opportunities and Barrier Free Project Implementations, based on the 1982 UN Action Plan.

We exert maximum effort to continue our plans and programs on academic grounds and with academic support. By the way, I would like to thank Bahçeşehir University, Kültür University and the academics among you.

Support of our working determination and enthusiasm will contribute to us achieving our objectives.

Best Regards
Metin ŞENTÜRK
President of the World Disability Foundation