The Office of the Basic Education Commission (OBEC), the Ministry of Education, Kingdom of Thailand hosted the "1^st International Symposium on Education for Persons with Special Needs: Transition from School to Work" in Bangkok, Thailand from August 29 to 30, 2017. Approximately 500 people from eight different countries attended the symposium.

Gifu University and OBEC signed the Framework of Agreement in March 2015 to promote research exchange with regard to special needs education. The opening of the symposium was first proposed in January 2016 and OBEC took an initiative to prepare for the symposium. Gifu University was not only invited to the symposium but also sought advice and instructions from OBEC for symposium preparations. Gifu University officials and their OBEC counterparts held meetings both in Japan and Thailand, and the 1^st International Symposium on Education for Persons with Special Needs was successfully held, which coincided with commemoration of the 130^th anniversary of the close ties between Thailand and Japan.

Prior to the opening, the meeting between OBEC representatives and the Japanese delegates was held on August 28. From Japan, Mr. Ryuichiro Shirama, Deputy Director-General, Elementary and Secondary Education Bureau, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Mr. Shiro Terashima, First Secretary, Japanese Embassy in Thailand, President Hisataka Moriwaki, Mr. Masaki Yokoyama, Executive Director for General Affairs and Finance and Professor Naotake Iketani, Dean of the Faculty of Education of Gifu University attended the meeting. Japanese delegates offered their congratulations on the grand opening the symposium, and OBEC representatives expressed their wishes for funding, technological support and advice on special needs education from Japan.

The opening ceremony was held on August 29, and H.E. Mr. Shiro Sadoshima, Japanese Ambassador to Thailand gave a congratulatory speech for the opening, which was followed by Mr. Shirama's keynote speech titled, "Promoting Special Needs Education in Japan." In his speech, he spoke about Japan's special needs education and employment support for people with disabilities. President Moriwaki later delivered an opening speech expressing his appreciation to everyone in attendance.
In the afternoon, each guest speaker made a presentation introducing their nation's initiatives on education. Professor Iketani made a speech under the title, "Characteristics of the Employment Support System and Structure of the Special Needs Education System for High School Students with Special Needs in Gifu Prefecture." On the second day of August 30, Professor Shinya Oba of the Faculty of Applied Biological Sciences made a presentation, "Challenge of Gifu University Farm on the Collaboration between Social Welfare and Agriculture in Japan."

Concurrently, a poster session was being held at the hallway of the same building where researchers introduced their activities to one another.
The 1^st International Symposium on Education for Persons with Special Needs" ended with a huge success. Both the speakers and the audience shared one of the most productive, meaningful time throughout the period of the symposium.

Gifu University remains committed to be a strong partner with OBEC in their endeavor to provide better education for people with special needs in the years ahead.