In celebration of the 25^th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), 60 participants of the Fulbright Foreign Student Program will convene in Berkeley, California from April 29 to May 3 for the enrichment seminar, “U.S. Disability Rights: 25 Years of the ADA and Beyond.” Seminar participants will assess the history and future of disability rights in the United States and abroad, looking at issues including community inclusion through accessible public facilities and programs, and the impact that design has on the lives of disabled citizens around the world.

State Department Special Advisor for International Disability Rights Judith Heumann will speak on April 30 to encourage participants to support disability rights in their home countries, and J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board member Jeffrey Bleich will address the participants on April 29. Throughout the seminar, the students will interact with organizations and individuals that have worked towards disability rights achievements in the United States.

The Fulbright Program supports inclusion in international academic exchange programs for people with disabilities around the world. Since 1946, the Fulbright Program has provided more than 360,000 participants from more than 155 countries with the opportunity to study, teach, conduct research, exchange ideas, and contribute to finding solutions to shared international concerns.

Media interested in attending should contact eca-press@state.gov.