ADAO has been given a great opportunity to participate and present at several international events and workshops during the United Nation’s Rio+ 20 Conference on Sustainable Development in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Elise Law, ADAO’s senior intern for the past 18 months, has graciously donated her time for our work and will join me in Brazil for her final assignment. Elise and I are also honored to have been invited to participate in the United Nation’s Rio+ Social event that is being held in conjunction with the main Rio+ 20 Conference. Rio+ Social is a progressive gathering of technology, social media and global leaders, that will focus on “social good” and how new media can help foster positive solutions to global issues. This event has already expanded our working relationship with the United Nations. Also while in Rio, ADAO will present at the People’s Summit Workshop: “The World We Want is Free of Asbestos!” on June 15th in Rio de Janeiro along with Hermano Castro, Alexandra Caterbow, Fernanda Giannasi, Kaisha Atakhanova from the Social Eco Forum, Vladimir Korotenko from BIOM Kyrgyzstan, and Laurie Kazan Allen.
Using digital technology and our ADAO platforms, Elise and I will interview asbestos victims for a broader and international Share Your Story campaign, which we can use to highlight the harmful effects of asbestos exposure in Brazil (Brazil is the 3rd largest producer and 4th largest user of asbestos according to USGS 2010 world data). Through our interviews we will also be able to document information about patients’ medical and occupational history, treatment, and family dynamics.
While in Brazil, we will tour two manufacturing factories – one using asbestos substitutes for their product and another that continues to use asbestos. While visiting the factories it is my intention to gather information about the sustainable substitutes for asbestos, share ADAO’s social media tools of education and community-building, and observe first-hand the asbestos production process from one of the world’s leading producers.
Our time in Brazil will enable us to definitively report on the production and use of asbestos to our national and international networks. It will also give us the opportunity to confer with the international governmental community, and it will raise awareness of asbestos-disease prevention, education, and community building. Furthermore, ADAO will be able to reinforce our traditional ties with the World Health Organization (WHO) and International Labour Organization (ILO) by attending and supporting the Sustainable Development initiative. We aim to remind the international community that sustainable development includes a healthy, asbestos-free, environment and workplace.
Visiting Brazil will allow us to better advocate both nationally and internationally for an asbestos ban with definitive information regarding economic viability and sustainability.
In unity,
Linda
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Update: You can keep up-to-date on ADAO’s global events, including our work in Brazil on our new page.