Hassan Ali Bin Ali Unveils One Billion Strong at London 2012

Author: Shafallah Center for Children with Special Needs
Published: 7 Sep 2012 - Updated: 13 Oct 2026
Publication Type: Informative

Table of Contents:
Synopsis - Definition - Overview - FAQs - Insights, Updates - Related Content

Synopsis

This information documents how Hassan Ali Bin Ali, chairman of Qatar’s Shafallah Center for Children with Special Needs, used the London 2012 Paralympic Games to introduce One Billion Strong (OBS), a new international organization focused on disability awareness, rights and education. He presented the initiative to Queen Elizabeth II, Prince William and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, at an opening reception hosted by Prime Minister David Cameron. The group took its name from the 2011 World Health Organization and World Bank estimate that more than one billion people live with a disability, and it set out to promote the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. One of its first projects was an airport accessibility study that filmed Paralympic athletes as they traveled through airports at home and at London Heathrow, with the footage meant to become an educational video on best practices. The account is useful to travelers with disabilities, families, caregivers and advocates because it shows how high-level advocacy was paired with practical research into barriers people face every day, and it also gives background on a nonprofit center in Qatar that provides education, therapy and health care support for children with disabilities from birth to adulthood.*

At a Glance

1 - The royal meeting took place at a private reception in the President's Lounge at Olympic Stadium.
2 - Mr. Ali Bin Ali presented gold, silver and bronze medals in men's cycling and women's 100m butterfly swimming.
3 - Shafallah was described as the first facility of its kind in the Arab and Muslim world, with an on-site Genetic Research Center.
4 - As an IPC Honorary Board member, he served as an ambassador for the Paralympic values of courage, determination, inspiration and equality.

Topic Definition

International Disability Advocacy: International disability advocacy is organized work, carried out across national borders, that aims to secure equal rights, access and participation for people with disabilities. It is usually anchored in the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which treats disability as a human rights issue rather than a purely medical or charitable concern, and it is carried out by nonprofit groups, disabled people’s organizations, sports bodies and governments. Typical activities include raising public awareness, pressing countries to ratify and enforce the Convention, gathering evidence on barriers in areas such as transportation, education and employment, and sharing practical solutions that can be adopted in different countries.

Overview

Hassan Ali Bin Ali Launches Global Disability Initiative

Qatari Disability Rights Leader Hassan Ali Bin Ali Introduces "One Billion Strong" to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, Prince William and Catherine ("Kate") Duchess of Cambridge; Awards Medals to Paralympic Champions.

At the 2012 Paralympic Games in London, Mr. Hassan Ali Bin Ali, Chairman of Qatar's state-of-the-art Shafallah Center for Children with Special Needs and a member of the Honorary Board of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), unveiled a new global NGO aimed at implementing the rights of persons with disabilities to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, during an opening reception hosted by British Prime Minister David Cameron.

Mr. Ali Bin Ali also had the honor of presenting medals to numerous athletes during the games.

He presented medals for a men's individual track cycling event to:

Mark Lee Colbourne (Gold, Great Britain)
Zhang Yu Li (Silver, China)
and Rodrigo Fernando Lopez (Bronze, Argentina)

For the women's Swimming 100m Butterfly, he awarded medals to:

Sophie Pascoe (Gold, New Zealand)
Oliwia Jablonska (Silver, Poland)
and Elodie Lorandi (Bronze, France)

As a member of the IPC Honorary Board, Mr. Ali Bin Ali serves as an ambassador for the global Paralympic Movement and helps spread the Paralympic values of courage, determination, inspiration and equality.

At a private reception in the President's Lounge at Olympic Stadium, Mr. Ali Bin Ali discussed his new organization, "One Billion Strong" (OBS), with HRH Prince William and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge.

Mr. Ali Bin Ali said he was honored to meet with the Royal Family and was "thrilled that they showed deep interest in Qatar's visionary work to improve the lives of persons with disabilities, both at home and worldwide."

OBS is a global initiative dedicated to disability awareness, rights and education, and serves to promote the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The organization's name is based on the World Health Organization's 2011 report that estimated in 2011 that there were over one billion persons with disabilities in the world - (WHO's 2023 estimate is about 1.3 billion (16 percent)).

OBS has launched several innovation projects recently, including an airport accessibility study at the Paralympic Games that involves filming athletes as they arrive and depart from airports in their home countries and at London Heathrow airport in order to assess their airport transportation experience. The footage will be used to develop an educational video that will help raise awareness and disseminate information about best practices.

Shafallah Center for Children with Special Needs

The Shafallah Center for Children with Special Needs was established at the behest of Her Highness Sheikha Mozah Bint Nasser Bin Abdullah AL-Missned to provide comprehensive services and care to individuals with developmental learning challenges, their families, and the community. Led by prominent Qatari business figure, Mr. Hassan Ali Bin Ali, the Center is the first facility of its kind in the Arab and Muslim world, offering the latest technologies, including an on-site Genetic Research Center, cutting-edge therapies and some of the world's finest faculty and counselors. The Center is a non-profit, private institution, serving as a model for the provision of special education, therapeutic, and health care support services for children with disabilities from birth to adulthood.

Frequently Asked Questions

NOTE: Researched FAQs by Disabled World (DW)

What is the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities?

It is an international human rights treaty adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in December 2006 that came into force in May 2008. It commits countries that ratify it to protect the rights of disabled people in areas such as accessibility, education, employment, health and participation in public life.

How many people in the world have a disability today?

The World Health Organization estimated in 2023 that about 1.3 billion people, or roughly 16 percent of the global population, experience significant disability. That figure is higher than the one billion estimate from 2011 that inspired the name One Billion Strong.

Has Qatar ratified the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities?

Yes, Qatar ratified the Convention in 2008, the same year the treaty entered into force. Ratification means the country agreed to report on its progress to the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

What rights do travelers with disabilities have at airports?

Rules vary by country, but many regions require free assistance for disabled passengers. In the United Kingdom and European Union, airports must provide help moving through the terminal and boarding, while in the United States the Air Carrier Access Act bans airlines from discriminating against passengers with disabilities.

How can a disabled traveler arrange assistance before a flight?

Most airlines and airports ask passengers to request special assistance at least 48 hours before departure, either when booking or by contacting the airline directly. Giving details about mobility aids, wheelchair type and battery information helps staff prepare the right equipment.

How many athletes competed at the London 2012 Paralympic Games?

Around 4,200 athletes from 164 countries took part in the London 2012 Paralympics, held from August 29 to September 9, 2012. At the time it was the largest Paralympic Games ever staged.

How are Paralympic athletes grouped for competition?

Athletes are placed into sport classes based on how their impairment affects performance in a given sport. In swimming, for example, classes S1 to S10 cover physical impairments, with lower numbers indicating more significant activity limitations.

What does the International Paralympic Committee do?

The International Paralympic Committee is the global governing body of the Paralympic Movement, based in Bonn, Germany. It organizes the Summer and Winter Paralympic Games and works to promote inclusion and change attitudes toward disability through sport.

Insights, Analysis, and Developments

Editorial Note: Looking back, the launch of One Billion Strong is a reminder that the Paralympic Games have long served as more than a sporting event - they draw heads of state, royalty and policymakers into the same room as disabled athletes and the people who advocate for them. Using that moment to put the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in front of world leaders made sense, but the airport study may be the more lasting idea, since air travel remains one of the most common sources of complaints from passengers with disabilities. The global count has also grown since 2012, with the World Health Organization now estimating about 1.3 billion people, or roughly 1 in 6, live with a significant disability, which makes the case for documenting real barriers and sharing fixes even stronger for disabled travelers, older adults and the families who travel with them.*

Attribution/Source(s): This quality-reviewed publication was selected for publishing by the editors of Disabled World (DW) due to its relevance to the disability community. Originally issued as a press release by Shafallah Center for Children with Special Needs and published on 7 Sep 2012. Last updated on 13 Oct 2026. This content may have been edited for style, clarity, or brevity.

* Editorial additions by Ian C. Langtree.