The United Nations will participate in the first World Summit DESTINATIONS FOR ALL

On this day, the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, Kéroul is proud to announce that Ms. Daniela Bas, Director of the Division for Social Policy and Development (DSPD) of the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA), will inaugurate the first World Summit Destinations for All, to be held in Montreal October 19-22, 2014.

The co-chairs of the Summit, Mr. André Vallerand and Mr. Ivor Ambrose, welcome this positive response from Ms. Bas. Their invitation was sent following the participation of Keroul at the 6th Conference of the States Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities held at UN Headquarters in New York last July. Ms. Daniela Bas represented the Secretary General of the United Nations, Mr. Ban Ki-moon, at this conference.

Appointed Director of UNDESA’s Division for Social Policy and Development on 9 May 2011, Ms Bas is a politologist specialized in international politics, human rights and social development.  Before re-joining the UN   she served as Senior Consultant for  the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Presidency of the Council of Ministers.

For   close to 10 years she worked for the UN as a Professional Officer in social development and humanitarian affairs, traveling around the world on behalf of the UN ( 1986-1995). Among other  past assignments : Special Adviser on “Fundamental Rights” for the former Vice President of the European Commission; Italian representative designated by the Presidency of the Council of Ministers on the topic “Tourism for All” to the European Commission; and as journalist and broadcaster for Italian Radio and TV.

As Ms. Bas mentioned to Isabelle Ducharme and André Leclerc, respectively Chairman of the Board and CEO of Keroul, during their meeting in July, it was in this capacity as a journalist that she became familiar with Keroul, instigator of the World Summit Destinations for All.

The World Summit Destinations for All aims to identify and implement the necessary measures to establish international tourism that is inclusive and accessible.

More specifically, the event is expected to:

1) Make a decisive push forward on the determination of a set of international norms and standards with regards to accessible tourism and transportation

2) Highlight the economic benefits for destinations to be completely inclusive and accessible, and to develop and enhance accessible tourism products

3) Establish a world partnership and a common international strategy to develop universal accessibility for infrastructures and tourism services, transport services, and to increase the availability of information on the accessibility of different destinations.

Many prestigious international organizations support the Summit, including the World Tourism Organization, the International Organization of Social Tourism, the World Centre of Excellence for Destinations, the European Network for Accessible Tourism, the ONCE Foundation in Spain, and Association Tourisme et Handicaps France. The World Summit Destinations for All will be held in Montreal October 19-22, 2014. For more information, visit www.destinationspourtous2014.com

Picture : André Leclerc, Daniela Bas and Isabelle Ducharme during their first meeting, New York, July 17, 2013.