The work of the ALECSO Forum for the Blind and Visually Impaired on the role of technology in educating persons with visual disabilities in the Arab countries began today, Monday 13 July 2026, in the Jordanian capital Amman. It is organized by the Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization (ALECSO) in cooperation with the Jordanian National Commission for Education, Culture and Science, and with the support of the Jordanian Ministry of Education, and continues until 15 July, with the participation of a select group of experts and specialists from various Arab countries, both in person and remotely.

The organization of the forum comes within the framework of ALECSO's efforts to promote inclusive education, exchange Arab experiences, and benefit from technological developments, artificial intelligence, and assistive technologies in enabling persons with visual disabilities to obtain quality and inclusive education, and to build educational environments more responsive to their needs.

In his opening address, Dr. Rami Zaki Eskander, Director of the Education Department and representative of ALECSO, conveyed the greetings of His Excellency Professor Dr. Mohamed Ould Amar, Director-General of the Organization, and his wishes for the success of the forum's work, praising the efforts of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and the Jordanian National Commission in supporting inclusive education and promoting Arab cooperation in this field.

He affirmed that the forum embodies ALECSO's vision of making the issues of persons with disabilities an essential part of the process of developing Arab education, noting that technology has become a strategic pillar for achieving educational justice and expanding opportunities for access to knowledge, and that assistive technologies, digital resources, and artificial intelligence open new horizons for enhancing the independence of learners with visual disabilities and improving their learning outcomes. He also stressed ALECSO's continued support for the Arab countries in developing educational policies, building capacities, and exchanging experiences in a manner that contributes to building more inclusive, equitable, and sustainable educational systems.

For his part, Mr. Sultan Al-Khalif, Secretary of the Jordanian National Commission for Education, Culture and Science, affirmed that education enjoys a national priority in Jordan, and that the Ministry of Education continues to develop the inclusive education system and to expand equal learning opportunities for persons with disabilities, reviewing the features of the Strategic Plan for the Development of Education (2026-2030), which pays special attention to sustainable digital transformation and inclusive education.

The first day of the forum witnessed a number of working papers and Arab experiences, as Dr. Faiza Al-Falahat reviewed the efforts of the Jordanian Ministry of Education in the field of inclusive education, while Dr. Walid Al-Zaidi, the educational expert at ALECSO, presented a paper on employing technology and assistive technologies to serve persons with visual disabilities. Mr. Mabrouk Bouchoucha also presented the Tunisian experience, and Dr. Nassim Naaman from the German Jordanian University reviewed the most prominent initiatives supporting the inclusion of persons with visual disabilities in higher education.

Dr. Rami Zaki Eskander praised the efforts made by Mr. Osama Al-Habash, projects coordinator at the Education Department and coordinator of the forum's work, alongside the team of the Jordanian National Commission, affirming that this cooperation contributed to the success of the organization and reflected the spirit of partnership between ALECSO and Arab national institutions.

The forum's work continues on its second day with the presentation of experiences from Syria, Sudan, Egypt, Morocco, and Mauritania, with the aim of exchanging experiences and promoting Arab cooperation in employing technology to serve persons with visual disabilities, and supporting the development of educational policies that are more inclusive and responsive to the needs of all learners.