Expert meeting, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, 14-18 May 2011 In light of recent political developments in the Arab region, it is highly relevant to consider the region’s education systems from an inclusive perspective, with a view to creating inclusive societies. How can we develop inclusive schools as a vehicle for positive change in the Arab region? How can we adapt existing guidance materials on inclusion to this region? What effective Arab practices of inclusion already exist? Guidance materials need to be adapted to the current needs of practitioners, administrators, curriculum developers and policy-makers, while highlighting some regional priorities, such as gender balance. UNESCO-IBE will be participating in an expert meeting for adapting guidance materials in the area of inclusive education and curricula to the Arab States region, organized by UNESCO Beirut Office and the Saudi Arabian government in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from 14 to18 May 2011. The adapted materials will be available in Arabic by the end of 2011. This meeting builds upon extensive cooperation between UNESCO-IBE and UNESCO Beirut, including a meeting held in 2010 where international and regional experts mapped the existing tools and capacities for supporting efforts and mobilizing resources around inclusive education in the Arab region. This activity is also situated within a broader context of capacity development for inclusive education in the Arab States. Preparatory meetings for the 48th session of the International Conference on Education (Geneva, 2008) which focussed on inclusive education were held in the United Arab Emirates in 2007 and in Lebanon in 2008. Furthermore, in 2009 in cooperation with IBE, UNESCO Beirut held a regional follow-up workshop on inclusive education in the classroom and the necessary implications for policy-making in Lebanon.
