Business & Money | Sunday 22 March, 2015 12:38 am |

Definitive Annual Event from 24-26 March Aims to Empower Elderly, Physically-challenged Individuals in Middle East Society

Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC) is preparing to host the second edition of ABILITIESme, an annual exhibition and conference that introduces the Middle East community to latest advances in mobility, independent living, assistive technology and rehabilitation solutions. People with disabilities and the elderly can also test and try the latest technology and solutions available worldwide.
Set to run from 24 – 26 March 2015, the annual strategic corporate social responsibility initiative is held under the patronage of His Excellency Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Culture, Youth and Community Development, and Honorary President of Future Centre for Special Needs, Abu Dhabi.
Themed ‘Inclusion’, the multilayered event will converge government officials, policy-makers, educationists, infrastructure developers, researchers, psychiatrists and physiotherapists.
Humaid Matar Al Dhaheri, Acting Group CEO of ADNEC said: “ADNEC is pleased to host this important event that will enhance our understanding of the requirements of people with special needs, while providing an important platform to showcase the latest assistive technology and rehabilitation solutions. At ADNEC, we seek to support physically-challenged individuals through empowering and helping them realise their optimum potential.

“As part of our commitment, we constantly work on developing and upgrading our facilities and systems to ensure that they can be easily accessed by people with special needs. We also work with other like-minded organisations to help our differently-abled employees at ADNEC develop their talents and skills and enhance their overall quality of lives.”
ABILITIESme 2015 will include an exhibition that features an array of dedicated services, products and solutions designed to make everyday life easier for the disabled and the elderly. Product and service segments include mobility and transport, daily living aids, moving and handling, access equipment, adaptation, leisure and sports, charities and consultancy advice, special education centres and schools, and accessible living solutions.
In addition, the ABILITIESme conference 2015 will bring international and local speakers to Abu Dhabi to discuss government initiatives, new policies, social inclusion and the latest information on trends in accessibility, adaption, rehabilitation and assistive technology for the special needs community.
Complementing the conference, ABILITIESme 2015 will host seminars/ workshops that provide an interactive platform for educators, healthcare specialists, caregivers, people with disabilities and parents to examine topics such as the current state of the infrastructure and industry vis-à-vis facilitating disabled people, new treatment trends, and private and public transport solutions for the disabled.
ABILITIESme 2015 will additionally feature sporting activities in collaboration with the UAE Disabled Sports Federation, as well as children’s activities. The Skills Challenge, a UAE-wide competition for individuals with special needs which was the first initiative by the Future Centre for Special Needs will be a key attraction. The special needs school will partner with the second edition through organising activities such as henna designing, flower arrangement and painting that boost the confidence of the participating children and showcase their hidden talent and abilities.
The dedicated event will also host TalkTools®innovative, a training course with a tactile-sensory approach to speech therapy, using therapy tools to train and transition muscle movements for speech production
ABILITIESme Abu Dhabi articulates the UAE’s commitment to making the world a better place for all segments of the population, regardless of their abilities and social standing. The second edition of ABILITIESme is organised and managed by dmg events.
ADNEC, the iconic business meetings and exhibitions venue in Abu Dhabi, is fully equipped with modern facilities and built according to international standards. The venue offers 133,000 sq metres of indoor and outdoor space that can be adapted according to client needs. In 2013, ADNEC attracted 1.6 million people across 327 events to it.