Africa-related Events in the Washington, DC Metro Area

AFRICA MEETS AFRICA (AMA). WPFW 89.3 FM - Pacifica Radio, Washington, DC. A new progressive weekly radio magazine showcasing the continent of Africa and the Diaspora. Visit: www.angeliqueshofar.com and www.wpfw.org or call 202-588-0999 ext 360 or 202-270-1688 for more info. Listen by web stream at http://www.wpfw.org or short-wave radio.

Thursdays. November 4, 11, 18, 25. 8 - 9pm

On Africa - WHUT-TV - TV32. TV SCHEDULES.

November 1-5

The Student Organization for African Studies (SOFAS) and The Council for African Studies at American University present: AFRICA WEEK - Fall 2004. For more information: http://www.transafricaforum.org/communityevents.html

Thursday, November 4. 9-11am

African Studies Program: "Obstacles and Opportunities Past and Present in Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo". Anthony Gambino, former director for the USAID mission in the DRC, Andrea Lari, advocate for Refugees International, Fidele Lumeye, advocate for Refugees International, and Ozong Agborsangaya, director of Sub-Saharan Africa Programs at Search for Common Ground, will discuss this topic. Members of the public should RSVP to SFCG, the event’s co-host, at glpf@sfcg.org. Note to reporters: The speakers’ comments will be not for attribution. Kenney Auditorium, SAIS, 1740 Massachusetts Ave., N.W., Washington, D.C.

Thursday, November 04. 10:00am - 11:30am

Foreign Policy and the U.S. Elections. Brookings Briefing. Falk Auditorium. Brookings Institution, 1775 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20036. Two days after Election Day, a Brookings panel of experts will discuss how the election is seen around the world and implications for U.S. foreign policy.

Thursday, November 04. 12:00 noon–1:30 p.m.

The Globalization of Household Production: Development impacts of new schemes for temporary labor migration. Center for Global Development, 1776 Massachusetts Ave. NW, Third Floor, Washington, D.C. With Professor Michael Kremer, Harvard University, Non-resident Fellow, Center for Global Development, and Discussant, Alan Winters, Director, Development Research Group, The World Bank.

Thursday, November 04. 6:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Future of Globalization. With Martin Wolf, Associate Editor and Chief Economics Commentator, Financial Times and author, Why Globalization Matters. Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, 1300 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Washington. Information: Maria-Stella Gatzoulis, (202) 691-4140.

November 4-5

Fifth IMF Jacques Polak Annual Research Conference: Policies, Institutions, and Instability. IMF Headquarters (R-710), Washington, D.C.

Friday, November 5. 9:00 - 10:30 a.m.
Islam, Gender and Reproductive Health: Part 3 of 6. Ellen Gruenbaum, Professor of Anthropology, California State University, Fresno; Marcia C. Inhorn, Director, Center for Middle Eastern and North African Studies and Professor (Department of Health Behavior and Health Education, School of Public Health, Program in Women’s Studies, and Department of Anthropology), University of Michigan

Friday, November 5. 12pm - 2pm.

Africa: From Myths to Mobilizing. Africa Action workshop at American University. A creative workshop that covers the Why, What and How of advocacy work on African affairs in the U.S. Conducted by Salih Booker and Marie Clarke Brill of Africa Action. Gianni Lounge, 2nd Floor of Mary Graydon Center, American University, Washington, DC. Contact: Marie Clarke Brill 202-546 7961

Friday November 5. 12:30 p.m.

International Development Program: "Radio at the Ends of the Earth: How Radio Builds a Community in the Developing World. SAIS, Rome Building, 1619 Massachusetts Ave., N.W., Washington, D.C. Bill Siemering and Rachel Thompson, president and vice president respectively of Developing Radio Partners, will discuss how radio has been used to promote peace and foster civil society in places such as Africa, Eastern Europe and Mongolia. For more information, contact Sunita Varada at svarada1@jhu.edu or 202.663.5929.

Friday, November 5. 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM

afrikafé International First Friday. Featuring ABIODUN KOYA: Opera Singer (Nigeria). Bossa Bistro & Lounge (Adams Morgan), 2463 18th Street, NW, Washington, DC. Cost: Free; Complimentary Hors D' Oeuvres - Cash Bar. Dress: Casual. Contact: events@afrikafe.com; No need to RSVP. For more information visit: www.afrikafe.com.

Friday, November 5. 6:30 PM - 10:30 PM

The 2004 Africare Bishop John T. Walker Memorial Dinner

This year's Dinner will salute bipartisan Congressional engagement with Africa by honoring Senator Richard G. Lugar and Congressman Donald M. Payne. The Hilton Washington Hotel, 1919 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Washington, D.C.

Monday, November 08. 2:00 - 4:00p.m.

Millennium Challenge Corporation - Board of Director's Meeting. Department of State, 2201 C Street, N.W., Washington, DC 20520. The meeting will have two components: a brief open session involving a CEO update on MCC operations and a longer closed session focused primarily on the selection of countries eligible for Millennium Challenge Account assistance in FY 2005. The closed session is expected to involve the consideration of classified information and, if necessary, certain matters related solely to the internal practices of MCC. It is anticipated that the open session will last approximately 15 minutes.

Tuesday, November 09

World Freedom Day

Tuesday, November 09. 9 to 11 a.m.

Conflict Management Program: "The Role of Women in Peace Building". Kenney Auditorium, SAIS, 1740 Massachusetts Ave., N.W., Washington, D.C. Cindy Courville, special assistant to the president and senior director for African Affairs at the National Security Council, Hattie Babbitt, senior vice president of Hunt Alternatives Fund, and Pamela Aall, director of the U.S. Institute of Peace Education Program and president of Women in International Security, will discuss this topic. Please RSVP to Search for Common Ground, the event’s co-host, at cprfnewsletter@sfcg.org or 202.265.4300. Note to reporters: The speakers’ comments will not be for attribution.

Tuesday, November 9. 3:00 pm – 5:00pm

Launch of "MDG: Rising to the Challenges". World Bank J building, (701 18th St.,) Room J1-050 (Auditorium to the left of the lobby)

Tuesday, November 09. 12:30 to 2 p.m.

SAIS Finance Club: "Building Bond Markets in Emerging Market Countries". Alison Harwood, head of the Securities Market Advisory Group at the International Finance Corporation, will discuss this topic. For more information and to RSVP, contact the Finance Club at roallen@jhu.edu. Nitze 517, SAIS, 1740 Massachusetts Ave., N.W., Washington, D.C.

Tuesday, November 09. 5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.

Film Screening and Discussion: God Sleeps in Rwanda. Reception and Photography Exhibit will Follow. 6th floor auditorium, Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center, One Woodrow Wilson Plaza, 1300 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20004-3027. The Africa Program and the International Reporting Project at Johns Hopkins University’s School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) join in inviting you to a screening of God Sleeps in Rwanda by Kimberlee Acquaro and Stacy Sherman, which traces the impact of the 1994 Rwandan genocide on the lives of the women who survived it. Discussion will follow with filmmaker Kimberlee Acquaro and Norah Bagarinkah, genocide survivor and activist.

Tuesday, November 09. 5:30 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.

International Energy and Environment Program: "Changing the Trends: Findings From the International Energy Agency’s World Energy Outlook, 2004". Claude Mandil, executive director of the International Energy Agency in Paris, will discuss this topic. Open to the SAIS community only. For more information and to RSVP, contact Leticia Lewis at llewis@jhu.edu or 202.663.5786. Rome 806, SAIS, 1619 Massachusetts Ave., N.W., Washington, D.C.

Wednesday, November 10. 9:30 AM

Press Briefing by Thomas C. Dawson, Director, External Relations, IMF. Transcript

Wednesday, November 10. 1:00 - 2:00 PM.

Millennium Challenge Public Outreach Meeting. US Department of State, Dean Acheson Auditorium (Enter through 23rd Street Entrance), Washington, DC. Secretary of State and MCC Chairman Colin Powell will make opening remarks at the fifth public outreach meeting of the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC). Following the Chairman's remarks, MCC Chief Executive Officer Paul Applegarth will conduct the meeting. The November 10 meeting will be a discussion about the announcement on Monday, November 8 by the MCC Board of Directors the countries eligible for Millennium Challenge Account Assistance for Fiscal Year 2005, and will be open to questions from the audience.

Wednesday, November 10. 9:00 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.
The Road to Peace in Liberia: Citizen Views on Transitional Justice. 5th floor conference room, Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center, One Woodrow Wilson Plaza, 1300 Pennsylvania Ave., NW Washington, DC 20004-3027. The Wilson Center's Africa Program. With John Moreira of Greenberg Quinlan Research and Tornorlah Varpilah of the Transitional Justice Working Group. They will discuss the results of a national survey and of twelve focus groups organized in Liberia, which explored the public's attitudes about justice and reconciliation after thirteen years of armed conflict and horrible atrocities. The first of its kind in Liberia, this public opinion project sought to ascertain how the Liberian public believes abuses committed during the war should be addressed.

Wednesday, November 10. 9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
Confronting the Crisis: Women and AIDS. Featuring: Kathleen Cravero, Deputy Director, UNAIDS. 6th floor Auditorium, Woodrow Wilson Center, 1300 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC 20004-3027. Kathleen Cravero and other foreign policy experts will examine why women are crucial players in the fight against the global AIDS, how policies and programs must be responsive to the acute vulnerabilities faced by women and girls, and what individuals, communities, and countries can do to spur both national and international action around this critical issue.

November 12-14
Amnesty International's 2004 Mid-Atlantic Regional Conference. At the University of Maryland, College Park, MD.

Saturday, November 13. 6:00 pm

Zambia Orphans of Aids (ZOA) Presents An Evening for Zambia's Children. Embassy of Zambia, Washington, DC. www.zambiaorphans.org (ZOAChair@aol.com )

Monday, November 15. Noon to 7 p.m.

Swiss Foundation for World Affairs: "From Cacaphony to Symphony: A New Administration Facing the Global Music of Trade". The Swiss Foundation for World Affairs and the Evian Group will co-host this forum addressing issues such as demographics, employment and trade, poverty reduction and global and national governance. Open to invited guests only, no admittance without an RSVP. For more information, please contact Merry Lo at mclo@jhu.edu or 202.663.5942. Kenney Auditorium. SAIS. http://apps.sais-jhu.edu/insider/this_week_calendar.php

Monday, November 15. 12:30 to 2 p.m.

Energy, Environment, Science & Technology Program: "Climate Policy and Its Hidden Benefits". Devra Davis, professor of epidemiology and director of the Center for Environmental Oncology at the University of Pittsburgh and National Book Award finalist for the book When Smoke Ran Like Water, and Richard D. Morgenstern, senior fellow at Resources for the Future and author of the recently published book New Approaches on Energy and the Environment: Policy Advice for the President, will discuss this topic. For more information, contact Leticia Lewis at llewis@jhu.edu or 202.663.5786. Rome 806. SAIS. http://apps.sais-jhu.edu/insider/this_week_calendar.php

Monday, November 15. 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM

Network for the Improvement of World Health Celebrates Partnerships for Public Change: The Ghana Boat Clinic. Embassy of Ghana, 3512 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008. For information visit www.niworldhealth.org or contact Michael M. Kubayanda at mkubayanda@yahoo.com.

Monday-Friday, November 15-19

Morgan State University Celebrates International Education Week (IEW) 2004 With The Urban Community. For more information please call at: 443.885.4027 or visit the IEW 2004 Web Site at www.jewel.morgan.edu/~cglobal/iew2004.htm

Monday-Friday, November 15-19

African Defense Attaché Course. National Defense University campus, Washington DC

Monday-Friday, November 15-19

Global Environment Facility - Consulations and GEF Council Meeting. GEF Secretariat, 1818 H Street, NW, Washington, DC.

Tuesday, November 16. 12:00 noon

The Road to Prosperity: The 21st Century Approach to Economic Development. The Heritage Foundation, 214 Massachusetts Ave, NE, Washington, DC 20002-4999.

Tuesday, November 16. Noon to 1:15 p.m.

SAIS Finance Club: "Emerging Markets, the IMF and International Capital Markets". Cem Karacadag, economist at the International Monetary Fund and a Johns Hopkins alum, will discuss this topic. For more information and to RSVP, contact the Finance Club at roallen@jhu.edu. Nitze 417, SAIS. http://apps.sais-jhu.edu/insider/this_week_calendar.php

Tuesday, November 16. 2:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Understanding Environment, Conflict, and Cooperation: Lessons and Strategies from Eastern Africa. Featuring: Patricia Kameri-Mbote, International Environmental Law Research Centre; John Murhula Katunga, Nairobi Peace Initiative - Africa; Bernard Ochieng, Institute Diplomacy and International Studies, University of Nairobi; Pauline Riak, Sudanese Women’s Network

Tuesday, November 16. 5:30-7:30 PM

Remaking Social Contracts: Beyond the Crisis in International Development. The International Center for Research on Women. Irene Tinker Lecture Series. With renowned economist, Dr. Gita Sen. At the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, 1779 Massachusetts Ave. NW - Washington D.C. 20036-2103. Reservations Required. Please RSVP to Jennifer Ramsey at (202) 797-0007 ext. 112 or jramsey@icrw.org.

Tuesday, November 16. 6:00 - 8:00 pm
Young Professionals Workgroup (YPID) Networking Happy Hour. Society for International Development. Ozio's, 1813 M Street NW. Washington, DC, Metro: Dupont Circle South. YPID is a group of young professionals working in the arena of international development. Come join us for a happy hour! All are welcome - bring your friends and colleagues of any age. Free hors d' oeuvres will be served. Please RSVP to Ethan Arnheim, YPID CO-Chair at ethanarnheim@gmail.com or call the SID office at (202) 884-8590.

November 16-17

New Rules for Global Finance Multi-stakeholder Consultation on Systemic Issues (Washington, DC, USA)

November 17. 12:00 pm (Luncheon to follow)
The Shackled Continent: Power, Corruption, and African Lives. Cato Book Forum. The Cato Institute, 1000 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20001. Featuring the author Robert Guest, Africa Editor, The Economist; with comments by Marian Tupy, Assistant Director, Project on Global Economic Liberty, Cato Institute; and moderated by Ian Vásquez, Cato Institute. The Shackled Continent addresses Africa’s thorniest problems: war, AIDS, and above all, poverty. Listen to the Event in RealAudio (Audio Only)

Wednesday, November 17. 12:00 - 2:00 pm
Information Literacy: Empowering Users - Society for International Development / Development Information Workgroup. Development Information Center (DIC), 1001 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Suite 300 South, Washington, DC.

Wednesday, November 17. 3:00 pm – 5:00pm

Launch of "Global Economic Prospects 2005: Trade, Regionalism, and Development". Venue: World Bank J building, (701 18th St.,) Room J1-050 (Auditorium to the left of the lobby)

Wednesday, November 17

Book Launch: The World's Water: The Biennial Report on Freshwater Resources. Internationally recognized water expert and 2003 MacArthur Fellow recipient Dr. Peter Gleick will launch The World’s Water 2004-2005 (Island Press) at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars. Given its central role in the functioning of all living systems, water is arguably the most important of all natural resources. The World’s Water is the handbook for this most precious commodity, with comprehensive and up-to-date information and analysis on freshwater sources and the political, economic, scientific and technological issues associated with them.

Thursday, November 18. 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM

Institute for Conflict Analysis and Resolution Africa Working Group of George Mason University presents: Prospects for Peace in Darfur? George Mason University (GMU), 3401 North Fairfax Drive, Arlington VA 22201. Original Building, Arlington Campus, Room 244. For more information Laura Bryant 202.431.0461 or email lbryant@tesol.org

Thursday, 18 November. 9.00 am–11.00 am

Protagonists or Antagonists? The Role of NGOs and the World Bank in the Fight Against Poverty. Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, 1779 Massachusetts Ave, N.W., Washington, DC. Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Center for Human Rights. The debate panel features: DELPHINE DJIRAIBE: 2004 RFK Human Rights Award Laureate, Chadian Association for the Preservation and Defense of Human Rights; SEBASTIAN MALLABY: Editorial writer, The Washington Post, Author of The World's Banker: A Story of Failed States, Financial Crises, and the Wealth and Poverty of Nations; SAMUEL NGUIFFO: Center for the Environment and Development, Cameroon, 1999 Africa Goldman Environmental Prize recipient. contact: Miriam Young

Thursday, November 18. 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Book Launch: Developing Power: How Women Transformed International Development. Featuring: Irene Tinker, Professor Emerita, Women’s Studies and City and Regional Planning, University of California-Berkeley; Aziza Hussein, Chair, National Center supporting NGOS in Population and Development (NCPD Cairo) and former President, International Planned Parenthood Federation; Vivian Derryck, Senior Vice President and Director of Public/Private Partnerships, Academy for Educational Development. Fifth Floor Conference Room, Woodrow Wilson Center, 1300 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC 20004 -3027

Thursday, November 18. 11:00 am
Meltdown: The Predictable Distortion of Global Warming by Scientists, Politicians, and the Media. Cato Book Forum. Featuring the author Patrick J. Michaels, Senior Fellow, Cato Institute, Professor of Environmental Sciences, University of Virginia; with comments by Sallie Baliunas, Harvard University; and Marlo Lewis, Competitive Enterprise Institute.

Thursday, November 18. 6:30 PM - 9:00 PM

afrikafé Networking Series presents Immigration Landscape for Africans. Hotel Helix, 1430 Rhode Island Avenue, NW, Washington, DC - Dupont Circle or McPherson Sq. Cost: $5 (w/rsvp); $10 (after deadline). Dress: Business. Contact: events@afrikafe.com; Please RSVP by November 17. Speaker bios: www.afrikafe.com

November 18 – 21

Zumbi dos Palmares! A Celebration of Afro-Brazilian Culture, presented by Levantamos. For more information, visit: www.levantamos.org/id29.html

November 19. 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon

Global Energy Security in the Time of World Terror. The Heritage Foundation, 214 Massachusetts Ave, NE, Washington, DC 20002-4999.

Friday, November 19. 12:15 pm -1:45 pm

Savings Policy for the Poor: Can the Poor Become Part of an Ownership Society?. New America Foundation, 1630 Connecticut Ave, 7th Floor
Washington, DC 20009. Brownbag Lunch. Event Registration: RSVP to Jennifer Buntman at 202-986-4901 or to buntman@newamerica.net

Friday, November 19. 4:30-6:00 pm
Developing Power: How Women Transformed International Development. Society for International Development & American University's International Development Program. American University, School of International Service Building, Corner of Nebraska and Massachusetts Ave., Washington, DC (Metro: Tenleytown: AU runs a regular shuttle to the campus. Parking: Nebraska Ave. Parking Lot). Please rsvp to sid@aed.org or call 202-884-8590.

Saturday, November 20

WHARTON 2004: Africa Business Forum: "Business in Africa: New Game, New Rules". The Wharton School, The Wharton African Students Association, and the Wharton Global Business, Philadelphia, PA

Saturday, November 20. 9:30 AM - 12:00 PM

Fair Trade Resource Network and Co-op America presents Fair Trade for Thanksgiving Campaign! Safeway - 1747 Columbia, Road, NW, Washington, DC 20009, and Whole Foods, 4530 40th Street, NW, Tenley Circle, Washington, DC. RSVP by phone or email by Thursday, November 18. Call 202.872.5360 and leave a message or email fairtrade@coopamerica.org and indicate at which location you'll be joining us. To learn more about how you can support Fair Trade for Thanksgiving Campaign on November 20th, visit www.fairtradeaction.org/nov20action.cfm

Saturday, November 20. 3:00 PM - 6:00 PM

American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) invites you to an Open House. 2211 14th Street, NW, Washington, DC. Light Refreshments will be provided! For more information please call 202.299.1050!

Saturday, November 20. 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Slam4Africa (Charity poetry slam fundraiser to ship books to Friends for Life organization, Accra, Ghana). Sponsored by Books for Africa (Minnesota). Howard University, Blackburn Auditorium, 2397 Sixth Street, NW, Washington, DC 20059. Featuring: Kanniki J, True Life, Drew "Droopy" Anderson and many others. Tickets: $15 ($10 Students with ID) Please call 202.352.1689/email: noralean@yahoo.fr for tickets.

Saturday, November 20. Reception: 6:30-7:30pm; Dinner/Entertainment: 7:30-midnight

Building a Better Future for Liberia's Children. A Gala Dinner, hosted by the Academy for Educational Development (AED) and the Liberia Resource Mobilization Committee to: rehabilitate battered Liberian schools throughout the country; provide school supplies and computers for students; support youth-led sports programs in 97 war torn communities. Marriot Wardman Park Hotel, 2660 Woodley Road, NW, Washington, D.C. This benefit is part of the Community Peace Building and Development Program ("Diompilor"), funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development and implemented by AED and its partner, Mercy Corps.

Sunday, November 21. 9:00 PM - 10:00 PM

AFRICA MEETS AFRICA. A new progressive weekly radio magazine showcasing the continent of Africa and the Diaspora on WPFW 89.3 FM Pacifica Radio in Washington, DC. For more information visit www.angeliqueshofar.com and click on announcements or call 202.588.0999 ext 360 or fax 202.588.0561 or email: africameetsafrica@myway.com. And to listen via webstream go to www.wpfw.org.

Tuesday, November 30. 10:00 - 11:30 a.m.

The Next Agenda: AIDS and the Way Forward. With Peter Piot, Executive Director, UNAIDS; and Lee Hamilton, President, Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars. Woodrow Wilson Center, 1300 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC 20004 -3027.

November 30. 12:00 - 2:00 pm
Corporate Social Responsibility from a Gender and Development Perspective - Society for International Development / Women in Development Workgroup (SID/WID). Chemonics International, 2nd Floor Auditorium, 1133 20th St. N.W. (between L and M Streets), Metro Stop: Dupont Circle or Farragut West. This brown bag event on Corporate Social Responsibility from a Gender and Development perspective will be presented by Claudia Piras, Women and Development Specialist at the Inter-American Development Bank, who will discuss examples and different programs at IADB regarding this issue. To RSVP please contact Jill Meeks at JMeeks@peacecorps.gov or (202) 692-2323.

Tuesday, November 30. 5:00 PM - 8:00 PM

Africare's World AIDS Celebration is the opening event of the 1st Annual HIV Goddesses Empowering Conference. Julius Coles, President of Africare, and Sharon I. Sopher, Emmy-winning, Oscar-nominated Journalist & Filmmaker, Founder & Director of HIV GODDESSES Project, invite you to the premiere of HIV GODDESSES: A Women's Wellness &Empowerment Project. Africare, 440 R Street, NW, Washington, DC 20001. To RSVP call 202.328.5369 by November 29, 2004

Tuesday, November 30, 2004, 6:30 PM - 9:00 PM

afrikafé Professional Development presents Exploring the Masters of Business Administration (MBA). TransAfrica Forum, 1426 21st Street, NW, Second floor, Washington, DC - [Dupont Circle Metro]. Cost: $10 (w/rsvp); $15 (after deadline). [Refreshments provided] Dress: Business. Contact: events@afrikafe.com. Please RSVP by Nov. 29

November 30 - December 1

Disability and Inclusive Development. Sharing, Learning and Building Alliances. World Bank. This two-day event in Washington, D.C. will bring together hundreds of disability and development experts from around the world who will participate in panel discussions, hear keynote addresses from distinguished speakers within the disability and economic development communities, browse the many disability-related display booths, and share knowledge on state-of-the-art technology and best practice in disability work. This event constitutes the follow-up to the December 2002 international disability conference. Over the past two years, there has been some exciting work done in the disability and development community, which we hope to build upon in order to reduce global poverty for disabled people. It is our expectation that the activities of the 2004 Conference will involve many of our partners. The day will enable us to discuss progress made, confront challenges and opportunities, and move this important work forward. The progress made to date is due to the increased interest in disability and development across a whole host of development agencies, civil society, the UN family and donors.