Officials from the World Bank visited Syracuse University last week to discuss their partnership in establishing a platform to assist developing countries.

The Global Forum on Law, Justice and Development will feature an interactive web-based platform that will be of access to officials of developing countries for no cost, according to an April 2 Burton Blatt Institute news release.

The collaboration between the World Bank, SU’s Burton Blatt Institute and other campus contributors – such as the School of Information Studies, the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, the College of Law and the Graduate School – are working to help launch the global forum, according to the article.

Anthony Adornato, the director of communications for BBI, said the goal of the program is to allow officials from developing countries to discuss their countries’ issues of development with experts from academic and financial institutions, as well as international organizations. The countries will also be able to communicate with one another through the site to discuss common problems and work to find solutions.

BBI works to advance the civic, economic and social participation of people with disabilities worldwide.

‘Part of developing countries’ problems are related to disability and poverty,’ Adornato said.

A forum like this is desperately needed, Adornato said, and partners of the program have done extensive research to find developing countries that could benefit from these types of expert and fellow country interactions.

Adornato said the program is an example of Scholarship in Action because SU officials will be sharing their own expertise to better the developing world.

Said Adornato: ‘At the end of the day, it is about the positive impact on people. It certainly goes beyond disability.’

rebarill@syr.edu 

Published on April 3, 2012 at 12:00 pm