June 30,2022
Dear Friend of Athena,
At the beginning of June, I was invited to participate in the international COSP15 Conference of States Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), which took place at the UN. This year, for the first time since the COVID19 pandemic broke out, the conference was held both in-person and online. Thankfully, I had the privilege of once again walking through the halls of the United Nations Headquarters in New York.
As every year, representatives from non-profit organizations with the special ECOSOC Advisor status were invited to address the General Assembly during the conference. I would like to share with you the statement I prepared to advance the vision close to my heart – empowering special education teachers.
Imagine a world during the COVID 19 pandemic where teachers do not have computers for distance teaching. Unfortunately, this was the reality – in most countries teachers simply do not have mobile computers.
My name is Uri Ben-Ari, and I'm the founder and president of Athena Fund, an Israeli NGO that empowers teachers by providing them with a “digital toolbox.” This advanced toolbox includes a laptop or an iPad, professional training and more. Our initiative improves teaching and helps close the digital gap between teachers and students.
Since our establishment in 2006, Athena Fund has distributed digital toolboxes to 30,000 teachers across Israel, positively impacting about 650,000 students.
We also have established a dedicated program for special education teachers. By equipping these teachers with iPads and training, special needs students can better communicate with their surroundings, learn at school, and acquire vital life skills.
To date, Athena Fund has provided 10,000 special education teachers with a digital toolbox, changing the learning experience and lives of 72,000 students with special needs.
This year we launched our newest, most innovative and cutting-edge project, which introduces the classroom of the future. We call it the ImagineBox. After all, it's the imagination that drives people to act and make the world a better place. The ImagineBox features an immersive learning environment that provides children with special needs experiential learning, helping them acquire much needed 21st-century skills. We believe this immersive technology will change many lives, and just as we have witnessed progress with the iPad, we will see an even greater leap for persons with disabilities with our immersive classroom.
Technology can make life better for both children and adults. But the key is to begin by equipping teachers, especially teachers of children with disabilities, with modern technological tools and the appropriate training.
Many teachers around the world still don’t use computers for teaching. Therefore, I call on governments to provide teachers with laptop computers, iPads, access to modern technology and professional training. This will give teachers the opportunity to help their students – especially those with disabilities – maximize their potential and enjoy a better future.
The world of technology continues to progress, revolutionizing many areas of our lives. We cannot forget the education system and leave teachers and students behind.
This is why Athena Fund exists, and this is the reason for the "ImagineBox" project, which will begin to operate in many schools all over Israel starting the next school year. You can watch a sneak peek video about the ImagineBox here.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your support. Together, we will continue empowering teachers, making sure the next generations receive the best education possible.
Have a great summer,
Uri Ben-Ari
Founder & President
Athena Fund
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