Under the patronage of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz, and on his behalf, the Governor of Riyadh Region, Prince Faisal bin Bandar, will open on Sunday the proceedings of the 7th International Conference on Disability and Rehabilitation (ICDR 2026), which runs from 11 to 13 October at the InterContinental Riyadh, bringing together scientists, researchers and innovators from around the world to examine the latest scientific discoveries and emerging technologies capable of reshaping the lives of persons with disabilities and their families.
The conference is chaired by Prince Sultan bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Special Advisor to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the King Salman Center for Disability Research, the organizing body, and is held under the theme «Boldness Towards the Future», which its organizers describe as a scientific approach that moves beyond the limits of today's available solutions and opens new horizons for research aimed at restoring lost human capabilities, with a focus on vision, hearing and mobility technologies that bring scientific ambition closer to the daily reality of persons with disabilities.
The event will honor the winners of the King Salman Global Award for Disability Research, which drew 770 nominations from 111 countries, alongside an artificial intelligence hackathon for persons with disabilities that attracted more than 2,250 participants across 918 teams of multiple nationalities, working to develop innovative solutions that respond to the challenges this community faces. «The conference reflects a cause embraced by Saudi society and advanced by its contributions», the organizers said, describing the gathering as part of a broader ambition for the Kingdom to play a leading role in shaping the future of disability research rather than merely keeping pace with global scientific progress.
Beyond the main sessions, the program extends into the community through evening events and interactive workshops led by influencers and specialists, aimed at persons with disabilities and their families and addressing topics that touch their daily lives while raising public awareness of disability issues. The conference also serves as a platform to showcase the trajectory of the King Salman Center for Disability Research and its scientific and research contributions, supported by its founders and partners.