RIYADH, 29 September 2005 — Australia has announced its support for a major Saudi initiative which has led to the establishment of many humanitarian projects.

The projects include the Islamic World Council on Disability and Rehabilitation (ICDR) and the Joint Center for Research in Prosthetics, Orthotics and Rehabilitation Program (JCRPO). The cooperation will help Saudi humanitarian organizations to learn from the experiences of Australian institutions.

“This Saudi-Australian cooperation now serves as a model example of friendship and cooperation,” said Professor Muhammad Al-Turaiki, ICDR chief.

Referring to this Saudi-Australian partnership, Australian Ambassador Ian Biggs said: “Canberra will be happy to work with the organizations founded and promoted by Professor Turaiki with an aim to protect the rights of disabled section of society. And Australia has a lot of experience in this field. I have provided him the connections in several Australian organizations such as the Australian Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission (HREOC), which will be of great help.”

Currently, there are many Australian institutions such as the HREOC, which is an independent statutory organization reporting to the Australian Parliament. The HREOC, founded in 1986, is also entrusted with formulating policies and projects pertaining to disabled people.

The ICDR also seeks to establish hospitals specialized in the treatment of disabilities besides opening social counseling clinics. It has plans to undertake some research projects on disabilities affecting the Islamic countries.

The ICDR under the supervision of Professor Turaiki has also invented a device, which now enables the Muslim amputees to perform prayers with greater ease and comforts. The ICDR together with other organizations is also working to Arabize the relevant study and research materials, which can eventually prove to be useful for the promotion of disability and rehabilitation services in the Arab world.