Welcome to Pac Rim 2021!

The Pacific Rim International Conference on Disability & Diversity is only conference on disability and diversity in the Pacific. Hosted by the Center on Disability Studies (CDS), College of Education, University of Hawaii at Manoa since 1988, Pac Rim has evolved into an international conference that has welcomed hundreds of presenters and attendees from across Hawaii, the nation and the world. 

In 2020 within the context of a global pandemic and shifting times, we elected to take a breather, reflect on our experiences and feedback from past conferences, hit the refresh button, and launch a fully virtual Pac Rim. 

Join us online on the following dates, Hawaii Standard Time:

• Pre- Conference: Saturday, February 27, 2021
• Main Conference: Monday, March 1 and Tuesday, March 2, 2021

Our goal is to harness the innovation and knowledge building that are occurring globally in order to shape an informed collective, empower individuals, and invigorate those who serve. 

Our past experiences have informed and inspired us to continue a Pac Rim Conference that:

• Shares the disability experience and celebrates diversity and disability in varied contexts. 
• Networks and creates positive interaction before, during, and after the conference to enhance the professional development experience.
• Disseminates innovation, practice, and research to inspire new strategies and actions that lead to positive change when participants return home.
• Encourages partnerships and collaboration between people with disabilities, people with diverse backgrounds and experiences, communities, parents, educators, students, service providers, researchers, policymakers, idea generators, and other thought leaders, at home and across the globe.
• Integrates  technology, human relationships, and an environment  that promote accessible information sharing  and enhances the conference experience.

Contact [email protected] with any questions.