Message from organizers
The 2nd International Conference on Intellectual Disabilities/Mental Retardation (ID/MR) was held on November 6, 7, and 8, 2007 in beautiful Bangkok, Thailand. It took place less than one year after the United Nations General Assembly adopted by acclamation the Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Rights and Dignity of Persons with Disabilities. This treaty recognizes that persons with disabilities should be fully included in society as equal citizens and should participate in public life. Persons with intellectual disability fall under the scope of this convention and will benefit greatly from its coming into existence, as the respect and enforcement of their fundamental rights has yet to become a reality all around the world.
The 2nd International Conference on Intellectual Disabilities/Mental Retardation was the continuation of the Pan-American Health Organisation (PAHO)/World Health Organisation (WHO) Montreal Conference on Intellectual Disability that was held on October 5 and 6, 2004. The most important outcome of this Conference was the Montreal Declaration on Intellectual Disabilities, which established consensual standards related to the right to equality of persons with intellectual disability, as well as a series of measures to be undertaken in order to support decision-making among persons with intellectually disability within a context of respect for their fundamental rights.
A main event of the Bangkok Conference was the launching of the first ever WHO Atlas on Country Resources in Intellectual Disabilities (Atlas-ID). This official WHO document was developed to present an overview of resources and services available to individuals with intellectual disability according to world region, country population and income level. 147 countries representing 95% of the world population contributed to this Atlas.
All of these developments offered wonderful incentives to join together and create road maps that will make a difference in the lives of persons with intellectual disabilities and their families. This was the challenge that you, the participants, answered to in Bangkok.
On behalf of the Organizing Committee and the the Scientific and Program Committee, we would like to extend our gratitude for making the 2nd International Conference on Intellectual Disabilities/Mental Retardation a very memorable and successfull event.
Thank you so much for having joined us Bangkok!
Dr Gaston P. Harnois, M.D.
Co-president
Organizing committee
Dr Céline Mercier, PhD
Co-president
Scientific and Program committee