Paralympic Team for Disability Expo
15 September 2008
Following their record-breaking performances in Beijing, South Africa's Paralympic team will be attending an event very close to their heart: the annual International Living Independently Disability Lifestyle Expo, taking place at the Nasrec Exhibition Centre in Johannesburg from 2 to 5 October.
The four-day event, which focuses on strategies for achieving full inclusion for people with disabilities into society, caters for children and adults with disabilities, family members, caregivers, the senior community, healthcare providers, educators and other service providers.
Workshops
Minister in the Presidency Essop Pahad will open workshops targeting management, human resource personnel and staff. They will be hosted on 2 October and 3 October. The cost is R2 000 a day per delegate.
Topics under discussion will include HIV/Aids, sexuality and disability; women with disabilities in business, a children's self-esteem programme, and employment and skills development.
For group bookings or to register for the workshops, call Caryl Lock on 082 582 1350 or Kim Krynauw on 084 710 6496.
Entertainment
There will be a diverse and exciting programme of entertainment. It will feature professional artists living with a disability and aims to create a greater awareness and appreciation of these artists.
One of the highlights will be the Can-Can Dance Marathon, which takes place in Hall 5 at Nasrec on Saturday, 4 October from 9am to 1pm. The dance marathon unites able-bodied people and people with disabilities and features all dance styles, from breakdancing and ballet to Afro-fusion and hip-hop.
A donation of R5 per person will be asked, with all proceeds going to the Agulhas Theatre Works Outreach Programme, where children with disabilities attend dance and art classes at MuseumAfrica in Newtown.
Children will also be part of a "Children with Disabilities Fashion Show", and there will be a petting zoo to entertain the little ones as well.
Sporting events
In addition, there will be a complete itinerary of sporting events including rugby, rowing, climbing, and cycling.
The hours of the expo are from 9am to 5pm from Thursday to Saturday, and from 9am to 1pm on Sunday.
Entrance is R25 for adults and R10 for children. Children under 10 years of age will be admitted free of charge. All proceeds will be donated to various rehabilitation centres and disabled children homes.
Three organisations
The International Living Independently Disability Lifestyle Expo is collaboration between three organisations that have been involved in all aspects of disability for a number of years.
The first is the Independent Living Centre, a resource facility that aims to enhance the independence of persons with disabilities by co-coordinating all resources, services, legislation and policies.
The second organisation is the project management team of Nthuse Diversity Management Solutions CC whose primary focus is the inclusion of people with disabilities into all aspects of society
.The Agulhas Theatre Works (ATW) – headed up by artist Gladys Agulhas – is the third organistion, and it works with a diverse group of performers with different abilities, bringing professional dancers and people with disabilities together, and enhancing the skill levels of both.
The expo is backed by the Secretariat of the Africa Decade of Persons with Disabilities (SADPD). It also boasts a long list of sponsors, including Arcelor Mittal, Airports Company South Africa, Peugeot Isando Commercial Centre, SWASAP, SA Wheelchair Rugby, SA Sport for the Physically Disabled, and The Transnet Foundation and Rand Water.
SAinfo reporter
Would you like to use this article in your publication
or on your website?
See: Using SAinfo material
