康复国际于1922年在美国成立，是一个由残疾人、服务机构、政府部门、专家学者和倡导者组成的国际组织，致力于提高残疾人生活质量。 1922年2月18日，“国际跛足儿童会”在美国俄亥俄州成立。协会的创建人和首届会长是美国俄亥俄州的艾德加·F·艾伦。这个很小的协会后来成为今天我们所知道的康复国际。 从1922年到2022年，康复国际从美国中西部的小镇发展成全球性的网络，从一个关注残疾儿童的地方组织，成为推动国际残疾包容发展的主要力量。 1969年，康复国际设计了国际无障碍标识，之后该标识被国际社会广泛使用，为残疾人包容性发展作出重要贡献。 康复国际为推动联合国通过《残疾人权利公约》和实施发挥了引领作用。 1951年，康复国际提出将轮椅体育运动融入康复、休闲和比赛，最终演变成为今天的残奥会。 1969年，康复国际提出了社区康复理念。从20世纪70年代至今，康复国际一直致力于推广和发展社区康复的实践。 首届国际残疾人职业技能竞赛于1981年举行，是康复国际支持“国际残疾人年”的一项倡议。 张海迪于2014年在波兰当选康复国际主席，并于2016年在康复国际第23届世界大会正式就任。2018年，张海迪于柏林代表大会再次当选康复国际主席。 2018年，在中国政府支持下，康复国际设立了全球残疾发展基金和非洲基金。过去四年，两个基金共资助了30多个项目。这些项目因地制宜，聚焦康复、融合教育、职业培训、无障碍建设以及残疾妇女和女童赋权。基金的设立有效地提升了康复国际的国际影响力。 2019年，康复国际设立杰出成就奖，旨在激励世界上更多的人关注残疾人事务，激发更多的人为建设更平等、包容和无障碍的社会环境作出更大贡献。 2019年11月，首届康复国际杰出贡献奖在莫斯科揭晓。第73届联合国大会主席埃斯皮诺萨、斯里兰卡眼捐献协会以及埃塞俄比亚阿尔法聋哑学校分别获奖。 康复国际与国际竹藤组织在埃塞俄比亚开展“美丽工坊”项目，旨在通过竹藤编织技术培训，改善当地残疾妇女的经济状况。残疾妇女是特殊困难群体，康复国际长期以来一直呼吁联合国关注她们所面临的特殊挑战。 为了应对全球新冠肺炎疫情，康复国际通过基金向世界各地的会员组织提供帮助，确保残疾人及其家人在社区中得到保护。

Rehabilitation International (RI) is a worldwide organization comprised of people with disabilities, service providers, government agencies, academics, researchers and advocates working to improve the quality of life of people with disabilities. On February 18, 1922, the“International Society for Crippled Children” was established in Ohio, the US. The founding president is Edgar F. Allen. This tiny society then became RI we know today. From 1922 to 2022, RI grew from its small-town roots in the American mid-West to a global network, and from a local organization focusing on children with disabilities to a driving force in promoting international disability inclusion. The International Symbol of Access,which was designed by RI in 1969 and is being applied universally, has contributed to the movement of disability-inclusive development. RI was a leader in the fight for the adoption of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and has doubtlessly added momentum to its implementation. In 1951, wheelchair sports were proposed for rehabilitation, leisure and competition, leading eventually to today’s Paralympics. Community-based rehabilitation (CBR) was proposed by RI in1969. RI continued from the 1970’s forward to today to promote and develop the practice of CBR, as one of its key strategies. The first International Abilympics was held in 1981, as an RI’s initiative to support the International Year for Disabled Persons. Zhang Haidi was elected in Poland in 2014 and assumed the RI presidency at the 23rd RI World Congress in 2016. She was re-elected as President at General Assembly in Berlin in 2018. RI established the Global Disability Development Fund and the Africa Fund in 2018 with the support of the Chinese government. In the past four years, the two Funds have sponsored over 30 projects, focusing rehabilitation, inclusive education, vocational training, accessibility, and empowerment of women and girls with disabilities. The two Funds have proved an effective boost to RI’s international influence. RI set up the Award for Outstanding Achievements in 2019, aiming to draw more attention to disability affairs and inspire greater contributions to a more equal, inclusive, and accessible society worldwide. The Award was conferred for the first time in Moscow in November 2019, to Ms. María Fernanda Espinosa, the President of the 73rd Session of the UN General Assembly of the United Nations, Sri Lanka Eye Donation Society and Alpha Special School for the Deaf. Working with International Network for Bamboo and Rattan, RI conducted a BEAUTIFUL CRAFTS WORKSHOP project on improving the economic condition of women with disabilities through capacity building on the use of bamboo in Ethiopia. Women with disabilities are subject to double discrimination, and RI has long called on the United Nations to consider the special challenges they face. In response to the Covid-19 pandemic, RI extended help through the funds to member organizations worldwide, ensuring that people with disabilities and their families were protected in their communities.