A one-day forum will bring together people, community groups, advocates and policy-makers to discuss ways to help more persons with disabilities get involved with public and political service.

Forum29 will take place today, May 21, at Province House in Halifax.

Co-sponsored by the Speaker of the Nova Scotia House of Assembly, Halifax Regional Municipality, the Nova Scotia Disabled Persons Commission, and the Nova Scotia League for Equal Opportunity, the forum will feature panel discussions, guest speakers and networking opportunities.

“This is our opportunity to reach out to persons with disabilities in Nova Scotia to ensure that we are doing everything we can to maximize principles of inclusion,” said Speaker Kevin Murphy.

The forum takes its name from article 29 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which relates to participation in political and public life, and states, “parties shall guarantee to persons with disabilities political rights and the opportunity to enjoy them on an equal basis with others.”

Anne MacRae, executive director at the Nova Scotia Disabled Persons Commission, is providing the keynote address.

“The Disabled Persons Commission is so pleased to be able to support and be a part of this initiative,” said Ms. MacRae. “We believe that in order to see real inclusion in our communities we need to see people with disabilities be full participants in democracy.

“We are hoping this forum will be the start of a movement that will see the barriers to participation be eliminated.”

For those unable to attend, the forum will be streamed live at http://novascotia.ca/stayinformed/webcast/ .

For more information and a full list of activities, visit http://forum-29.ca/ .

Source: Release