UNESCO/Emir Jaber al-Ahmad al Jaber al Sabah Prize awarded to Vashkar Bhattacharjee and Tencent
Bangladeshi disabilities’ advocate Vashkar Bhattacharjee and Chinese private sector ICT enterprise, Tencent (China) were awarded UNESCO/Emir Jaber al Ahmad al Jaber al Sabah Prize for Digital Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities.
They were awarded for there outstanding contribution to empowerment of persons with disabilities through application of information and communication technologies (ICTs) to access information and knowledge. They will be presented with award in ceremony to be at UNESCO Headquarters on occasion of International Day of Persons with disabilities (Observed on 3 December).
Key Facts
Vashkar Bhattacharjee: He was awarded in individual category. He is leading advocate on production of resources dedicated to learners with disabilities and to training of teachers in use accessible reading materials. He has successfully developed Bangladesh’s first Accessible Dictionary in four forms, dedicated to persons with visual, print and learning disabilities, and special programme of self-employment through e-micro credit support for persons with disabilities.
Tencent (China): It was awarded in organizational category. It was recognized for its outstanding contribution to empowerment of persons with disabilities by using inclusive digital technologies to provide greatly enhanced access to information. In China, Tencent products have helped persons with special needs access critical information and interact more easily with digital devices, thus improving their quality of life.
UNESCO/Emir Jaber Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah Prize for Digital Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities
It is awarded to persons/organisations in recognization of their outstanding contributions of individuals and organizations in promoting inclusion and enhancing lives of persons with disabilities through application of digital solutions, resources and technologies. It will be offered biennially in 2018-19 and 2020-21. It will be awarded in each biennial edition and will be given in Individual Person and Organization category. It carries monetary award of US $40,000, which is distributed equally between individual and the organizational winner. It is sponsored by Kuwait in memory of its late ruler Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah.
