Yokohama to host 2016 Asia Pacific Dyslexia Festival

Yokohama will host an event to promote a better understanding of people with reading and writing disabilities in June next year as a prelude to the 2020 World Dyslexia Forum to be held in Japan, the Yokohama Convention and Visitors Bureau (YCVB) said Aug. 20.

The Asia Pacific Dyslexia Festival (APDF), scheduled to be held at the Workpia Yokohama and Kanagawa Kenmin Hall with the theme "Diversity and Identity - Ideal School," is the first such world conference pre-event.

Expected participants in the conference include dyslexic people from the Asia Pacific region and education experts.

Regarding the selection of Yokohama as the host city, Eiko Todo, the APDF executive committee chair, underscored its location and accessibility. "It is easily accessible from Haneda airport and its accessibility is comparable to that of the heart of Tokyo," Todo said. "Also, it is very convenient because places for sightseeing, meals, conferences, and exhibitions, etc. are all located within walking distance," she said.

Programs of the event include:
- Presentation on education for dyslexic persons in the Asia Pacific region
- Presentation on teaching English as a common language and on an ideal school by experts and dyslexic person(s)
- Performances (dance, music, talks, movie) by people with dyslexia
- Exhibitions of works (photographs, furniture, architecture, etc.) by dyslexic people
- Exhibitions on Assistive Technology (AT)/Information and Communication Technology (ICT) devices
- Workshops

The number of participants: 500

Participants:
- NGOs and dyslexics from ASEAN, Australia, China, Hawaii, India, Russia
- Representatives from countries in the Asia Pacific
- Teachers, parents and local educational authorities
- Foreign students especially in education from the Asia Pacific
- General public

Yokohama is known for its ties with the field of learning disabilities as it hosted the Japan Academy of Learning Disabilities conference, attended by about 3,400 participants, at Pacifico Yokohama in October 2013.

"I hope similar pre-events will be held in countries like Singapore, China, India, Australia, and Russia because they will make the 2020 World Forum even better," Todo said.