Douglas Biklen was chosen for the 2011 UNESCO/Emir Jaber al-Ahmed al-Jaber al-Sabah Prize for his work promoting education and equal opportunities for people with educational disabilities.

Biklen, the dean of the School of Education at Syracuse University, was selected by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization for the award. A ceremony hosted by the Kuwaiti government was scheduled Wednesday at Kuwait University, according to a Feb. 27 SU News release.

Biklen could not immediately be reached for comment.

UNESCO created the award in 2002 with the support of the Kuwaiti government, according to the release. The organization honors two people every two years, one from the Arab states and the other from another part of the world.

The prize recognizes accomplishments in supporting and promoting quality education for those with intellectual disabilities and comes with a $40,000 award, which is split between the two recipients, according to the release. But due to Biklen’s significant work in school inclusion, he was selected as the sole laureate this year, according to the release.

‘UNESCO’s recognition of Doug Biklen’s international leadership in scholarship and advocacy for persons with educational disabilities is so well deserved,’ said Chancellor Nancy Cantor in the release. ‘Doug is a consummate publicly engaged scholar, partnering with cross-sector collaborators both to advance scholarship and to make a tremendous impact on lives here and now locally, nationally and globally.’

Biklen has worked for more than 40 years to support researchers and advance the well-being and educational opportunities for students who have disabilities, according to the release. His works, including novels ‘Achieving the Complete School’ and ‘Schooling without Labels,’ have had a significant effect on families struggling with disability, according to the release.

UNESCO honored Biklen with this year’s award because of his global contributions through his work on education, communication and the quality of life for people with disabilities, according to the release. The award ceremony included an address by H.E. Falah Al-Hajraf, the minister of education and higher education at Kuwait University, a speech by Biklen and an artistic show by students with disabilities, according to the release.

Ambassador Ali Al-Tarrah, Kuwait’s permanent delegate to UNESCO, said in the release that the award shows that Kuwait shares UNESCO’s passion for improving the quality of education for people with disabilities. He said candidates for 22 countries vied for the award.

Biklen said in the release that he hopes the prize will further advance disability studies and draw attention to the global inclusive education movement.

‘Hopefully it will help shine a spotlight on the international inclusion movement and allow more opportunities to connect with educators internationally,’ Biklen said in the release. ‘I envision an international movement to recognize the importance of educational innovation to address cognitive differences, all without labeling children as intellectually impaired.’

snbouvia@syr.edu 

Published on February 29, 2012 at 12:00 pm

Contact Stephanie: snbouvia@syr.edu | @snbouvia