Secretariat

The World Bank has selected the Burton Blatt Institute at Syracuse University (BBI) to host the Secretariat of the Global Partnership for Disability and Development (GPDD). BBI have received a grant from the World Bank's Development Grant Facility (DGF) to support the growth, organizational development, and membership development of the GPDD.

In turn, the GPDD shares information, expands knowledge, improves public policies and practices, and fosters collaboration to improve education and economic opportunity for individuals with disabilities and their families worldwide. In an open, international, competitive process, BBI and the Coordinating Task Force jointly selected Maria Veronica Reina as the Executive Director of the GPDD.

About Burton Blatt Institute at Syracuse University (BBI)

The Burton Blatt Institute (BBI), located at Syracuse University (SU) in Syracuse. New York - United States, will build the premier organization to advance civic, economic, and social participation of people with disabilities in a global society by creating a collaborative environment—with entrepreneurial innovation and best business practices—to foster public-private dialogue, and create the capacity to transform policy, systems, and people through inclusive education, the workforce, and communities.

BBI, takes its name from Burton Blatt (1927–85), a pioneer in humanizing services for people with mental retardation, a staunch advocate of deinstitutionalization, and a national leader in special education. Blatt was Dean of the School of Education and Centennial Professor at Syracuse University, served as director of SU’s Division of Special Education and Rehabilitation, and founded the Center on Human Policy to promote a more open and accepting society for people with disabilities.

BBI is a premier organization that advances the civic, economic, and social participation of people with disabilities in a global society by creating a collaborative environment to foster public-private dialogue, and the capacity to transform policy, systems, and people through inclusive education, the workforce, and communities. Through a global network for research, education, training, technical assistance and outreach, BBI is building the next generation of leaders in law, education, communications, public policy, business, social science, arts, architecture, and technology; and shaping new knowledge to foster high expectations about access, inclusion, and effective and meaningful participation of individuals with disabilities in the social and economic mainstream.

at http://bbi.syr.edu