It is commendable and noteworthy that AP Thailand Public Company Limited, a leading real estate development organization in the country, which genuinely values the development of 'people', has stepped in to empower graduates and youth with disabilities to lead fulfilling lives of their own choosing by collaborating with four main partners in the 'Because I Am... Me #IamPower' project. The project aims to provide opportunities for persons with disabilities to access new, practical skills, prepare for the workforce, and access quality job markets equivalent to the general population.

Mr. Witakarn Chanthawimon, Deputy Managing Director of Corporate Strategy and Innovation at AP Thailand Public Company Limited, stated, "Education is the most crucial social factor that reflects the quality of life and well-being of the people in the country. AP Thailand has continuously prioritized the development of everyone's potential through knowledge, perspectives, and new skills that bring about innovations that enhance people's quality of life. This year, we have expanded our potential development efforts to youth and graduates with disabilities under the 'Because I Am... Me #IamPower' project to empower graduates and youth with disabilities to lead fulfilling lives of their own choosing, consisting of two major activities: IW-Inclusive Workplace Year 2

to prepare for entering the workforce, with over 100 graduates and youth with disabilities from 21 universities nationwide participating in a special curriculum designed to enhance their skills before entering the actual job market. Recently, we held a major national seminar, AP-SEAC presents Creative Talk Conference 2022 (CTC 2022), which took place on June 25-26, 2022, providing opportunities for over 240 youth with disabilities from higher education institutions nationwide to participate both On Ground and Online.

“This event was specially designed with a Universal Access layout for the first time in the country to comprehensively accommodate persons with disabilities, including those with visual, mobility, and hearing impairments, allowing them to participate in knowledge-sharing comfortably. For example, we provided Braille on the event entry cards, wider registration counters for wheelchair users, and sign language interpreters on stage to ensure understanding of the speakers' presentations, enabling access to knowledge and future skills that can be practically applied, just like other attendees. We hope that the AP-SEAC presents Creative Talk Conference 2022 will be a great starting point for opening up knowledge opportunities for youth and graduates with disabilities, as well as setting a new standard for future seminars in the country to provide opportunities for everyone in society to access new knowledge,” Mr. Witakarn said.

Mr. Witakarn further stated, “From conversations with youth with disabilities, many traveled from provinces such as Chiang Mai with a strong desire to gain knowledge they had never accessed before. Additionally, many were eager to hear experiences and ideas from speakers to understand various trends and pursue their career dreams, whether as a YouTuber, Content Creator, Interior Designer, or Social Worker. AP Thailand is proud and pleased to pass on positive energy to everyone, encouraging them to pursue their dreams, especially graduates and youth with disabilities. We want everyone to look forward, continuously develop, and believe in their potential. AP Thailand and our partners are ready to support everyone in following their dreams fully by providing opportunities to access practical future skills with up-to-date knowledge to break through all life limitations, allowing everyone to create their paths toward achieving their goals with their inner strength.”

This success comes from specialized partners, including four organizations: SEAC, a leader in executive, personnel, and organizational development focused on lifelong learning; VULCAN COALITION, a social enterprise dedicated to creating jobs and income for persons with disabilities; CREATIVE TALK, the initiator of the Creative Talk Conference in Thailand; and the Social Innovation Foundation, an essential organization supporting employment for persons with disabilities and reducing employment gaps, along with over 200 volunteers who worked tirelessly to ensure the event's success.

AP Thailand Public Company Limited has continuously supported the Creative Talk event, with participation growing from dozens to thousands today, aiming to empower creativity and spark ideas for entrepreneurs and attendees, contributing to the Creative Economy in Thailand. As a major real estate development company in the country, one of AP's long-standing commitments in the social dimension is to be part of creating and improving the quality of life for people in society, with the primary goal of being an organization that prioritizes developing people's potential by creating future skills to support everyone in leading fulfilling lives of their own choosing.

Ms. Methavee Thasanaseethakrit, one of the founders of Vulcan Coalition, one of the partners of the 'Because I Am... Me #IamPower' project, said, “Typically, attending various events is not easy for youth with disabilities unless designed for accessibility. For example, for the hearing-impaired, without sign language interpreters, they cannot understand what the speakers are saying. Similarly, for those with visual impairments, if there are no volunteers who understand how to guide and explain things, or for those with mobility impairments using wheelchairs, narrow pathways can make it challenging to navigate the venue. The CTC 2022 event was designed to accommodate the participation of all types of disabilities, allowing them to engage in activities at booths, such as AP Thailand's booth, where participants could use an application to test their strengths. AP's application supports accessible mobile phone systems, providing a great experience for everyone to participate equally.”

One visually impaired participant, Ms. Thananchakorn Santipornthada, shared her feelings about attending the CTC 2022 event, saying, “I was very impressed because of the Inclusive Design, which allowed me and my friends to fully participate. It opened our horizons to understand future trends and provided ideas for our own development. Ultimately, no matter how much knowledge we gain from this event, if we do not take action, we cannot develop ourselves. This event is a great starting point for us to keep up with the present and future. I thank AP Thailand for their genuine efforts to prepare for our participation, making this event enjoyable and allowing us to be a part of it.”

Mr. Tham Bunlue Thanyalak, an autistic participant, stated, “This is the first time I have had the opportunity to attend a national conference, allowing me to learn things I have never learned before, such as life skills, and opened experiences not available in school. I would like to thank all the kind adults, including AP and various companies, for enabling me and my friends with disabilities to learn about concepts and methods that enhance our skills.”

Ms. Kamolwan Kratinthong, a participant with mobility impairments, revealed, “Each person with a disability has different life starting points, but we all have equal opportunities to learn. The CTC 2022 event sparked and motivated my inner strength to continue learning and to move forward happily. In the past, after graduation, I applied for many jobs, but during interviews, I found that being in a wheelchair led some places to reject me immediately without any opportunity for discussion. However, many large organizations today are open and hire persons with disabilities, allowing us to pursue our dream jobs. I believe that in the future, besides working in my field, I also want to work in social sectors to benefit my fellow persons with disabilities.”

“AP Thailand - A fulfilling life of your own choosing.”