<< Back to International Day of Persons with Disabilities, IDPD 2017
Previous commemorations submitted from around the world: 2016,2015, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009.
UN system
Office of the UN Special Rapporteur on the rights of persons with disabilities
To celebrate this year’s Day4All, the Missions of Korea, Bulgaria, Mexico, Brazil and Israel, together with UN agencies and the International Disability Alliance, will host a roundtable discussion and art exhibition at Palais des Nations, (Geneva), December 4. The Roundtable will cover 3 main themes: An inclusive UN; Accessibility across the UN’s work; and Engaging the community to advance the inclusion of persons with disabilities. The art exhibition ‘Like Wildflowers, Like the Stars’, will be presented after the roundtable, and will remain open to the public until 8 December. It showcases work of Korean artist Kim Geun-tae’s, paintings explore intellectual disabilities through the colors of four seasons. More: https://aday4all.net/celebration-in-geneva/.
UNESCO
UNESCO’s event will focus on the role of inclusive arts in creating sustainable and resilient societies where persons with disabilities will be entirely integrated as one of the main actors of our society. This event echoes the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD)(link is external) which promotes the cultural rights of persons with disabilities to participate in cultural and artistic activities and recognizes their right to have the opportunity to develop and utilize their creative, artistic and intellectual potential. The artistic and cultural integration of persons with disabilities is interconnected with the improvements of other disability-related issues and gender equality. More at https://en.unesco.org/ict-pwd-2017
UNDP-Kuwait
UNDP Kuwait and Kuwait Government will co-organize a workshop on the issuance of the “Kuwait Universal Design Code ” to coincide with International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD), 3 December 2017. The workshop will introduce the new code and discuss its role to ensure that no one is left behind in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). UNDP Kuwait supported the development of the new code in consultation with various stakeholders. More at: www.kw.undp.org
Global Commemorations
Leonard Cheshire Disability
Leonard Cheshire Disability (LCD) is celebrating International Day of Persons with Disabilities 2017 in a number of ways, both globally and in the UK. In the UK, LCD is collaborating with the UK’s Department for International Development, the private sector and other disability partners to discuss how best to support inclusion. The event will focus on the role of education, how best to support the participation of people with disabilities, the role of technology in supporting inclusion and the role of the private sector in supporting inclusive employment.LCD will also be hosting an event at the British Academy to showcase its work in inclusive education and livelihoods and how it contributes to build resilient societies.
Leonard Cheshire Disability’s global celebrations will take place as part of the Cheshire Global Alliance, a network of 200 independent organisations supporting persons with disabilities in over 50 countries, which will run awareness-raising activities across the world. Leonard Cheshire Disability also encourages all its partners around the world to share important advocacy messages with relevant policy and decision makers to ensure that persons with disabilities are meaningfully included in all areas of society.
European Disability Forum
On 4 and 5 December 2017, the European Commission in collaboration with EDF, will organise a conference to mark the International Day of Persons with Disabilities (3 December). This year’s conference will focus on citizenship and on a fairer social Europe, thus the rights of EU citizens being exercised through diverse European initiatives and the question of political participation will be discussed. In addition, the possibility of living in a fairer and more inclusive environment will be addressed. On 6 December 2017, there will the 4th European Parliament of Persons with Disabilities (EPPD). Find out more about the EPPD on EDF’s website.(Contact: Simona Giarratano simona.giarratano@edf-feph.org)
National and local commemorations
Austria
Südwind and the City of Vienna are organizing this year’s Conference of Development Cooperation on the topic of Inclusion. National and international experts will share their expertise and experiences concerning inclusive development projects, challenges and good practises. The event will take place on the 4 December, 2017, in the Wappensaal of Wiener Rathaus.(For English programme, contact: entwicklungspolitik.wien@suedwind.at) Link to the event
Bangladesh
In solidarity with IDPD, the Institute of Hazrat Mohammad SAW is organizing an essay competition for the visually impaired on Dec-2-2017 to generate awareness on the UN goals and encourage their contributions. The Institute is a research think-tank focused on improving the lives of persons with disability through training and advocacy. More details
Canada
Inclusion BC Foundation and BC Self Advocacy Foundation have partnered with the National Film Board to present a retrospective of Canadian films for its 3rd UN International Day of Persons with Disabilities Film Festival. This program explores the representation of disability from the 1960s to now including the world premiere Disability Pride 2017. Link to the Trailer
Cameroon
MOSOH Cameroun is a DPO based in Nkongsamba, Cameroon. The organization celebrates the 3rd December offering three days of activities in Nkongsamba for people with disabilities and their families, civil society organizations and local authorities. A march, a conference and presentations will be held from November 28 to 30 with regards to the theme of ‚Making disabilities an important force of social transformation and in fighting social insecurity‘.Contact: mosohcameroun@yahoo.fr, mosohcameroun.net
India
National Centre for Promotion of Employment for Disabled People (NCPEDP), India will be partnering with the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, United Nations India, Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited (ONGC), American India Foundation, New Delhi Municipal Council, and various NGOs and Corporates for IDPD celebrations at India Gate, New Delhi. This will be the 1st anniversary of the landmark Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPWD) Act, 2016. NCPEDP will launch a nationwide campaign on this day, ‘Celebrating Inclusion’ to spread awareness and to ensure proper implementation of the various provisions of the Act. The celebrations will conclude with a short ‘Walk To Freedom’, symbolic of the work that yet needs to be done.For more information, please visit www.ncpedp.org.
Nigeria
National Association of Presidents NYSC Honours Awardees, in partnership with CBM International, will mark IDPD2017 in Nigeria with a 2-day event. 2nd December will be for a free medical outreach for persons with disabilities in Abuja. 5th December will have a symposium on Disability Inclusive Development in Abuja.
Norway
The Atlas-Alliance, the Norwegian Center for Human Rights and Plan International Norway will hold a one-day seminar on inclusive development on 6 December 2017 in Oslo, Norway. Speakers include Rosangela Berman-Bieler, UNICEF Senior Advisor on Children with Disability and Mitch Loeb, the Washington Group on Disability Statistics. Link to the event
Saudi Arabia
In honor of IDPD, VSA-KSA, a voluntary non-profit organization, organized its project “Color your Pavement”to raise awareness and shed light on the abilities of persons with intellectual disabilities. It invited specialized centers and pedestrians to draw and color the pavement using chalk, persons on wheelchairs joined the event as well using Chalk Drawers. Link to the video of the event
United Kingdom
United States
Prospanica NY Chapter, partnering with S&P Global, the United Nations Association, Latino Networks Coalition, Latina Philanthropy Council, Workforce Development Board of Passaic County and others, will celebrate milestones & successes in workplace accessibility on 14 December 2017. The event will spotlight business executives, advocates & allies passionate about advancing workplace inclusion. The event is open to the public with RSVP www.prospanica.org/event/disability. To request accommodations, please contact newyork.marketing@prospanica.org.
