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"To be able to listen-without presupposing, classifying, improving, controverting, evaluation, approving or disapproving, without dueling what is being said… such listening is rare." - Abraham Maslow

Dr. Dilbar Kurbanova -- In Memory

We were saddened to learn of the death of Dr. Dilbar Kurbanova from Tashkent, Uzbekistan who died on December 2, 2004. To many, Dilbar perfectly captured the spirit of the World Forum on Early Care and Education. She arrived at the very first World Forum in Honolulu in 1999 with tremendous energy, but with limited command of the English language. We finally recruited Olga Melnick from Russia to act as her translator and Don Piburn from Hawaii to help her set up her presentation on children with special needs. Her presentation was as moving as her determination to tell her story was impressive.

Dilbar managed to come to two more World Forums where she was always moving with a full head of steam to meet new people and tell her story. Don Piburn shared this typical story...

"Kevin Carnes of Lakeshore was kind enough to donate a batch of toys for Dilia's Uzbek Public Center for Help for Disabled Children and Teenagers that I hand-carried to New Zealand. Dilia was close to being late for her flight out of Auckland, and at the eleventh hour, we discovered that the large box of toys had to be shipped to Uzbekistan from an adjacent terminal building. After sprinting 500 yards carrying a very heavy box, nobody was at the shipping desk. Repeated attempts at ringing the little bell set out for such situations had no effect whatsoever. With a look of total composure, Dilia turned to me and said, 'I show you how we handle this in Uzbekistan,' and launched into the most earsplitting tantrum I have ever heard come out of anyone over the age of three years old. As people literally came running from all directions, she hid a smile and winked at me. She was my friend, and I will miss her."

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