WASHINGTON, DC--On Wednesday and Thursday, July 21-22, 2004, the Program for Disability Research (PDR) at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey and research partner Rehabilitation International hosted a meeting of guests involved in the Learning from Others international survey. Attendees from the US and participating survey nations assembled in Washington, DC for a program focused on the social disability insurance programs in nine nations.

The event was held at the Grand Hyatt Washington Hotel at Washington Center, with convenient access to the Metro and not far from some of D.C.'s most famous sites.

Guests came from eight of the nine nations covered in the project: The United States, Germany, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, South Africa, Sweden and the United Kingdom, with representatives of Australia unable to attend. Additional attendees represented SSA, GAO and various other parties and organizations concerned with the future of disability insurance systems around the world.

Attendees began arriving on the 20th, with the first portion of the event being a reception held from 4-6 p.m. on July 21st at the host hotel. Attendees and guests were

able to enjoy the opportunity to meet casually, renew acquaintances and discuss the topics of the upcoming meeting sessions.

The meeting sessions began on Thursday morning with opening remarks from SSA Deputy Commissioner of the Office of Disability and Income Security Programs, Martin Gerry. Tomas Lagerwall (Secretary General of Rehabilitation International), Tanya Gallagher (of the Disability Research Institute) and Monroe Berkowitz also spoke.

The day's panel discussions encompassed such topics as permanent partial disability benefits, sickness and short-term disability benefits, time-limisted disability benefits and the future of disability benefits. Representatives from eight of the participating countries made presentations with questions and answers following each panel session.

Between four and six p.m., staff of the PDR and Rehabilitation International gathered to welcome guests, survey participants and other interested parties. Those who attended enjoyed hors d'oeuvres and the opportunity to meet and talk before the intensive sessions of the following day.

The reception offered a chance for project participants to put faces to names, especially participants from all over the world gathered together in one place. Attendees expressed enthusiasm for the project and for the prospect of the upcoming meeting sessions.

WASHINGTON, DC--Guests at the Learning from Others conference had the opportunity to meet and socialize in the relaxed atmosphere of a welcoming reception on the evening of July 21.