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Dear Friends,
Today is Dec 3rd, ‘The International Day of Persons with Disabilities’ (IDPD). This year’s theme is “Amplifying the leadership of persons with disabilities for an inclusive and sustainable future,” promoting people with disabilities to actively participate in shaping their lives and hence contributing to our society. The theme is based on the ‘Global Disability Rights Movement’s’ slogan, “Nothing About Us Without Us”. Since I am a person with multiple disabilities, I understand the value of the day.
This day aims:
- To raise awareness of challenges, people with disabilities have to face on a day-to-day basis.
- To create an environment where everyone feels respected, valued, and included, regardless of their disabilities.
- To educate the public to support improving the quality of life of people with disabilities.
- To mobilise support for the rights, dignity, and well-being of people with disabilities.
- To remind society of their responsibility to create more inclusivity and a sustainable future for the disabled.
Some ways to celebrate this day:
- Donating to disability charities.
- Educating the owners about improving accessibility, such as adding wheelchair ramps, etc.
- Join the activists to strengthen discrimination policies, etc.
The purple colour is also associated with the IDPD, inspiring the commitment to promoting equality, inclusivity and sustainability for people with disabilities. Before my retirement, I was active in disabled and differently abled communities.
Some of our friends may be shocked to know that I am a person with “Multi-Sensory impairment” (MSI) with hearing and vision problems. Despite these problems, I was fortunate to lead a corporate (from zero) with over a thousand employees (in India and abroad) — now, I am a fully retired person.
I am 100% deaf in my left ear and 40% hearing loss in my right ear. My left ear is supported by a Cochlear Implant (CI) and the right ear needs two devices to manage - a Vibrant Sound Bridge Implant and a normal hearing aid. Also, I have a slightly complex vision problem which is supported by specialised spectacles. (if you are interested to read more, please click here.)
Here is a post by our dear @Rahul001 about “International Deafblind Day,” which was June 27th and his IDPD 2024 topic - Here.
Another Chennai “Accessibility” RECAP is Here and Kochi “Accessibility” meetup with a Wheelchair LG @JollyTakshan is Here
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Hope you enjoyed the topic - thanks for visiting.
#IDPD #InclusionMatters
