Last month, Fajer Saraireh ’22 and faculty member Rana Matar represented King’s Academy at the Zero Project Conference that took place from February 19 to 21 in Vienna.

The Zero Project, an initiative of the Essl Foundation, focuses on the rights of persons with disabilities globally. It provides a platform to share the most innovative and effective solutions to problems that persons with disabilities face. Its sole objective is to assist in creating a world without barriers, based on the Articles of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. At the Zero Project Conference, people and organizations with innovative policies and practices present their solutions to their peers involved in the world of disabilities, including stakeholders, government ministers and other key influencers.

This year’s conference, which brought together over 600 delegates from more than 60 countries, was held under the theme of education. Around 75 innovative practices in the field of education were presented by a network of experts in the disability field during the conference. King’s Academy was invited to present on its innovative community service initiative Kursi wa Kitab, a Round Square pilot project established in 2012 that aims to raise awareness about the needs of children with cerebral palsy in Jordan.

For the first time, the conference organized a parallel youth forum bringing together young leaders, youth organizers and inclusive schools to discuss best practices, share concepts, experiences and tools that have worked to increase inclusive education. As one of only 12 youth invited to participate in the forum as a panelist, Saraireh spoke about her role as an advocate for children with disabilities in Jordan and about an art program she initiated through Kursi wa Kitab. Saraireh was also invited to participate in a couch session during the main conference where she shared her perspectives on inclusive education in Jordan, and what is needed to make schools more inclusive and accessible.