‘Working together to promote diversity and inclusion
focusing on people with disabilities’
It was an evening to bring together people with disabilities and people with not yet with a disability. It is nothing about us without us. Always it should be inclusion. Leonard Cheshire Disability and Western Seaton Cheshire Home, Negomboorganised a conference on ‘Working together to promote diversity and inclusion focusing on people with disabilities at the Sri Lanka Foundation Institute in November 2015. The welcome address was by Mr. Anthony Fernando,
Chairman, Leonard Cheshire Disability -Regional Council –Asia and
National Council- Sri Lanka.Ms. RevathyRugmini, Regional Representative, Leonard Cheshire Disability Asia and Pacific spoke on Setting the Context. Inaugural address was done by Major General GaminiHettiarachchi (retd), Chairman/CEO of Vocational Training Authority. Dr. SanthiyapillaiKeethaponkalan, Manager, Wester Seaton Cheshire Home spoke on the Economic Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities – Initiatives of Wester Seaton Cheshire Homes. The presentation on Inclusion matters – focusing on empowerment of people of all abilities was done by Advocate of Design for Inclusion and Accessibility Advisor,Dr. Ajith C S Perera. Mr. Sydney Dabare,Principal, German Technical Training Institute, Borella spoke on Exploring skill development opportunities of persons with disabilities. Major SurenBandara, HR Manager Global Intimates shared his experience on Work place inclusion and challenges faced by him. Inclusion from a development and Human rights perspective was done by Ms. Nadia Cannata, Programme Manager – Action Head of Operations, European Union. Federation of Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Sri Lanka explained the Scope of workplace inclusion of persons with disabilities. Mr. Chaminda Kumar (Person with orthopedic disability) shared his experience as an employee with a disability. Donor perspective to promote inclusion was done by Mr. Damian Fernando– Secretary, Sri Lanka Association of Parents of Deaf Children. Ms. ManiqueGunaratne of The Employers’ Federation of Ceylon Network on Disability spoke on employment opportunities for vision impaired persons. Issues and challenges when Empowering persons with disabilities was done by Mrs. KumudhuSumedhaSanjeevani Senior Lecturer University of Kelaniya. Finally there was a discussion on reasonable accommodation.
Picture descriptions:
1 At the head table.
2 Conference.
3 Lighting of the oil lamp.
4 Manique making the presentation at the head table.
5 Manique making the presentation.
6 Participants at the conference.
7 Presenting the plaque to Manique.
ManiqueGunaratne
Tel. – 0094112867966
