Csaba Kőrösi, President of the 77th session of the General Assembly

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Training session on Accessibility and Disability Awareness

19 April 2023

   (As delivered)  

Thank you so much, ASG [Cherith] Norman.

Ladies and Gentlemen, all of you, all of us will become disabled at a certain point of time.

Just we don’t know when it will happen and for how long it will last.

It was the teaching I received from a very good friend of mine who happened to be a fencing Olympic champion. Later suffered a terrible car accident, became paralyzed and bound to a wheelchair. But he hasn’t given up and he became a wheelchaired Paralympic fencing champion.

He also told me that it should not be a matter of mercy to make sure that everybody has his or her right to live with dignity. Because all of us have something to contribute to this world and to this society,

Excellencies,

Madame Ambassador,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Dear Friends,

A warm welcome to this training session on Accessibility and Disability Awareness.

I am proud to continue with this initiative launched during the last, previous session.

I am pleased to cooperate with DGACM, and I thank ASG Norman for her steadfast leadership on this issue.

Close to 1 billion people around the world experiencing a disability – one in eight of us.

The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities is clear that access is key to enabling persons with disabilities to live independently and to practice fully in all aspects of life.

This includes life at the United Nations, as well.

Yet, it is still the case that the doors of this Organization – physical, digital and informational – are out of reach for many to open.

It is crucial that we continue our focus on ensuring that persons with disabilities can easily and regularly access UNHQ.

It also means ensuring that UN webpages are quickly found and easily used.

It means holding in-person and virtual meetings that guarantee inclusivity.

These efforts have taken shape within the Steering Committee on Accessibility, and thanks to the dedication of the Member States and the Secretariat.

But there is more we can, and must do, to lead by example.

In the words of Judith Heumann, civil rights advocate for persons with disabilities:

“We tend to think that equality is about treating everybody the same, when it’s not. […] It’s about equity of access.”

How can we challenge our biases – and move from talk to action?

I turn this question to our panellists – and to you, Member States and civil society activists– to offer practical and actionable ideas and suggestions.

It is my hope that this awareness training becomes a tradition at the UN – and a pillar of our promise to leave no one behind.

I thank you.