The School of the Nations (SON) in Taipa hosted its “INCLUSION Conference & Festival” yesterday, bringing together educators, advocates, athletes and community representatives to promote social inclusion and accessibility, while highlighting the importance of recognising the abilities and contributions of people with differing needs.
The event, held on the school campus, marked the first time the conference received sponsorship support from integrated resort operator Melco Resorts & Entertainment and We Can Dream Together Foundation. In his opening remarks, SON Director Vivek Nair described inclusion as a fundamental educational responsibility, referencing a quotation displayed around the campus: “Regard man as a mine rich in gems of inestimable value. Education can alone cause it to reveal its treasures and enable mankind to benefit therefrom”.
Nair said the quotation reflects the school’s belief that every individual possesses unique value and potential, regardless of ability. “It refers not only to those individuals of capacity, but it implies that all are mines rich in gems,” he said. “The role of education is critical to enable humanity to benefit”.
Nair noted the school’s commitment to inclusion led to the creation of a special education programme alongside its mainstream curriculum, stressing that yesterday’s conference aimed not only to discuss inclusion, but also to celebrate the achievements of individuals with differing needs.
In his speech, Nair shared the story of a student from the school’s mainstream programme who volunteered with a girl with severe physical and intellectual disabilities as part of a community service initiative.
According to Nair, the student reflected on the perseverance shown by the girl while attempting to catch a ball during their session together, eventually realising how little effort she herself sometimes invested in her own work. “I humbly suggest that this is an example of what we all gather here to promote”, he said, adding that “we are here to advance the cause of true inclusion”.
Nair also thanked the organisers, teachers and volunteers involved in preparing for the conference over the past few months.
Addressing the ceremony, Paulo A. Azevedo, president of the Charity Association of Macau Business Readers, reflected on his own experiences of feeling excluded earlier in life and stressed the importance of creating spaces where people feel understood and accepted. “We all speak the same language,” Azevedo said, referring to the connections built through sports, workshops and community interaction during the conference. Meanwhile, José Carlos Matias, vice president of the association, described inclusion as a process of cultivating connections, awareness and advocacy. “We are all ambassadors of this great cause”, he said.
Azevedo and Matias are veteran local Portuguese journalists.
Speaking to the media following the opening ceremony, Nair said that Macau had made significant progress in inclusion over the past 25 years, particularly in educational support. “I used to think of them as challenges, now I think of them as opportunities”, he said, referring to the development of inclusion programmes in Macau. Nair noted that the School of the Nations currently operates Macau’s only English-language special education programme and receives support from the Education and Youth Development Bureau (DSEDJ), including funding assistance for local students, teacher recruitment and professional training, adding that while progress has been made, public education remains one of the biggest challenges to achieving greater inclusion.
“The more people recognise that people with differing needs are not just people who want to take, but who have something to give, the more accepting they will be”, Nair said, stressing the need for greater employment opportunities for people with differing needs after graduation, calling for broader societal efforts to create more inclusive workplaces and career pathways.
School of the Nations (SON) in Taipa Director Vivek Nair (up), Charity Association of Macau Business Readers President Paulo A. Azevedo (centre) and Vice President Business Readers José Carlos Matias address yesterday’s “INCLUSION Conference & Festival” on the school’s campus yesterday morning. – Photos: Khalel Vallo
