First Kuwait International Conference

on the Role of People with Special Needs

in Building the Information Society

"Access to Information"

1 - 3 May, 2006

Courtyard Marriott Hotel , Kuwait

Organized by

Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research (KISR)

Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences

(KFAS)

Golden Sponsorship

Commercial Real Estate Company

       Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC)

Silver Sponsorship 

International Islamic Charitable Organization (IICO)

 Commercial Bank of Kuwait

Kuwait Real Estate Bank

National Technology Enterprises Company

Kuwait Investment Company

Wataniya Telecom

Bronzy Sponsorship 

   Kuwait Chamber of Commerce & Industry

The International Investor

Official Carrier 

                                                           Kuwait Airways Corporation

First Kuwait International Conference on the

“Role of People with Special Needs in Building the Information Society”

"Access to Information"

1 -3 May, 2006

Registration Form

Introduction

The Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research (KISR), in cooperation with national, regional, and international establishments and institutions, is organizing an international conference entitled “The Role of People with Special Needs in Building the Information Society”, under the motto “Access to Information”.

KISR’s eagerness to organize this conference affirms the nation's vision that acknowledges and fosters the role of people with special needs in the development of human society and their contribution to developmental efforts in a continuous activity and effective enthusiasm. 

Furthermore, this conference reflects Kuwait's commitment to enabling the various sectors of its society to access information, ideas, and knowledge, and to build a comprehensive information society in which everyone has the opportunity to acquire the skills and knowledge required for understanding the information society and knowledge-based economy. The conference further affirms that the information society should be built on a partnership of all sectors and classes of the society. Thus, it will achieve one objective of the Tunis Agenda issued by the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS), and responds to the Arab vision which stresses the need to raise the awareness of using information and communications technology (ICT) among all sectors of the society, especially women, children, the elderly, and people with special needs.

KISR’s initiative to hold this conference reflects the need to manage a national dialogue and to spur an extended discussion on the various aspects of the National Strategy on the Information Society. The conference topic on the participation of people with special needs in the information society is an important step in mapping the way for the participation of this sector in the modern civilization lived by our society. It also reflects KISR’s keenness to apply the recommendations of the symposium titled “The Information Society: Between Concept and Application,” which was organized by KISR in early January 2004. The recommendations of that symposium focused on “the need to unify, support, and encourage the efforts aimed at providing distinctive information services that suit people with special needs within the framework of  technical and social concepts of the information society, and to facilitate their unification and interaction with contemporary information societies."

 Back

Conference objectives:  

      1- To enhance equality and partnership among various sectors of the society to achieve developmental objectives in accordance with the Declaration of Principles and the Plan of Action of the Information Society.

     2- To achieve a vision that ensures a fair distribution of the benefits of technology and knowledge, and that contributes to eliminate technological illiteracy among people with special needs.

 3- To find an enabling structure to help integrate people with special needs into the concepts of the information society and raise the awareness of these concepts in society and among stakeholders.

 4- To identify modern technological applications which contribute to developing the capabilities of people with special needs.

 5- To raise the awareness of the importance of the role of people with special needs in building society, and to intensify media focus on them.

  Back

Conference Themes

The conference proceedings are grouped around four main axes:

1- International experiences in supporting people with special needs.

2- The creation of an enabling structure for shifting people with special needs into the information society.

3- The role of governments, the private sector, and civil society institutions in enhancing the capabilities of people with special needs.

4- Knowledge gap and lack of equal opportunities of information access for people with special needs.

Back  

Conference Dates and Venue

 The conference will be held from May 1  to  3, 2006, at Al-Raya Ballroom, the Courtyard Marriott Hotel, Kuwait.

Conference Languages

·         Arabic and English with interpretation.

·         Deaf sign language translators will be provided for all conference sessions.

 Back

Studies and Papers

The conference’s subject and theme have attracted many scientific papers prepared by specialists, national institutions, regional and international organizations, and unions dedicated to caring for people with special needs. In addition, the conference’s theme has attracted institutions working in the fields of communication and information, and those concerned with developing the society and building its modern technological and information boom.

Back

Decision–Making Session

At the end of the conference’s functions, a session will be held where decision makers from both public and private sectors will participate, along with other sectors relevant to conference topics.

Student discussion session

The conference’s functions will also include a student discussion session, in which a group of secondary school students from government and private schools will participate, along with their colleagues - students with special needs.

During the session, which will also be attended by specialists and parents, scientific papers submitted by Kuwaiti students and approved by the Scientific Committee, will be reviewed. There will also be an open discussion between participants.

 Back

Exhibition of Technology in Favor of People with Special Needs

A technological show which includes an exhibition of the latest technologies for serving people with special needs will be held during the conference. Many local and international companies specialized in this field  will participate in the exhibition.

Back

Participants

The First Kuwait International Conference on the “Role of People with Special Needs in Building the Information Society” will present an invitation for participation to:

-         All specialists, interested persons, and those working in the fields of information use and exchange, information technology, and communication systems.

      -        Institutions, organizations and unions dedicated to caring for people with special needs.

      -        Policy makers, planners and decision-makers, and persons of equal status.

      -        Government institutions and stakeholders (private sector, cooperative sector, and public utility).

-         People with special needs and their families.

Proceedings and Abstracts

      -        A booklet comprising the abstracts of conference papers will be distributed during the sessions.

      -        Following the conference, the Higher Committee will issue conference proceedings, which will include all studies, papers, and reports presented during the conference              

-        The Conference Proceedings, including all studies and scientific papers, will be available at a cost of KD 10 (the equivalent of US $30).

Back

Registration Fees

Participants from outside & inside Kuwait will be required to pay the following fees:

1-    Ministries, institutions and authorities: KD 60 (the equivalent of US$  200).

2-     Individuals: KD 30 (the equivalent of US$ 100).

The registration fees include conference attendance, copies of the abstracts of scientific papers, and lunches during the conference days. Researchers whose papers are approved for presentation at the conference, along with Kuwaiti students, are exempted from registration fees.

Registration fees and Conference Proceedings’ charges may be made as indicated in the registration Form.

Back

Travel and Accommodation Costs

Participants from outside Kuwait shall bear all costs of travel and accommodation. However, they may benefit from the services provided by the conference committees regarding hotel and airline ticket reservations in Kuwait, in addition to entry visas for Kuwait (if needed).

It has been agreed with Kuwait Airways Corporation (KAC) to offer special facilities to the conference’s participants, who are arriving to Kuwait on Board of its planes. To make use of these facilities, participants are kindly requested to submit any document that indicates their participation in the conference to the representatives of KAC offices, or its travel agencies abroad.

Conference Organizing Committees

·         The Higher Committee

-  Mrs. Ferial Al-Freih                                 Kuwait Institute for Scientific

                                                               Research (KISR), Chairperson

-  Mr. Adnan Al-Abdulmuhsen                     Kuwait Foundation for the

Advancement of  Sciences (KFAS),  Member 

- Ms. Munria K. Al-Mutawa                          Secretary General

                                                                Kuwait Society for the    Handicapped , member

- Mr. Hamad AL-Humaidi                            Member

- Mr. Saud K. AL-Zaid                                 Asst. Director General/ Information

                                                             Kuwait Chamber of Commerce &    Industry , Member

-  Dr. Saleh Lairi                                      Ministry of Health, Member

-  Mr. Faisal Al-Qanai                                 Kuwait Journalists’ Association, Member

 -  Mr. Abdul-Majeed Salman                       Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research, General Coordinator

- Mr. Nader Marafi                                     Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research, Member

- Mr. Ali Al-Sabt                                       Kuwait Institute for Scientific 

                                                             Research, Member   
 

·         Scientific Committee

-           Dr. Saleh Lairi                          Ministry of Health, Chairperson

-          Mrs. Ghaneema Nadher              Kuwait Institute for Scientific

                                                        Research, Rapporteur

-          Dr. Yagoub Al-Kandari               Kuwait University,                                                    Member  

-          Mrs. Suad Al-Fares                    Volunteering Committee for

the Handicapped Issues, Member

-          Mr. Hani Qasem                         Kuwait Institute for Scientific

                                                         Research, Member

- Mrs. Rehab Bouresli                          The Kuwaiti Society of             

Guardians for Disabled, Member 

-          Mr. Ali Tabaja                            Um Al-Qura Establishment for

     Educational Services,      Member   

Back
 

Kuwait in Brief

·         Location: The State of Kuwait is situated on the northwestern coast of the Arabian Gulf, between Latitudes 28º and 30º north, and Longitudes 46 and 48º East of Greenwich. Kuwait is bordered by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to the southwest and Iraq to the north and west. To the east is an approximately 300-Km-long coastline along the Arabian Gulf. Kuwait’s total area measures 17,817 km².

·         Climate: The climate in Kuwait is generally hot and dry in summer, and cold in winter. The temperature in March varies between 15º and 25º C.

·         Currency: The currency is the Kuwaiti Dinar (KD), which is equivalent to approximately US$3.30. The Kuwaiti Dinar is divided into 1000 fils, and is issued in bill form in denominations of KD 20, 10, 5 and 1, as well as 500 and 250 fils.

·         General Information:

  - The official language of Kuwait is Arabic, with English being used as a common second language.

- Kuwait’s local time is three hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time, i.e., GMT+3.

- The electrical current available in Kuwait ranges from 220 and 240 V (50 Hz).

- The metric system of measurement (SI) is used in Kuwait.

-  Friday is the official weekly holiday in Kuwait.

 Back

Correspondence

All conference-related correspondence should be addressed to:

Mrs. Ferial Al-Freih, Chairperson of the Higher Committee

First Kuwait International Conference on the Role of People with Special Needs in Building the Information Society

Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research

PO Box 24885, Safat 13109, Kuwait

Tel.: (965) 483-6625 ,4989030 ;  Fax: (965) 483-6603

e-mail: special_needs@kisr.edu.kw

Back

List of recommended hotels in Kuwait