Each year the United Nations chooses a different theme for the Day. This year the theme is ‘Break barriers and open doors: to realise an inclusive society for all’
The International Day is a great opportunity to celebrate the achievements of disabled people and their contribution to society.
Some of the events to celebrate International Day of Disabled People include:
The English Federation of Disability Sport (EFDS) will be releasing a guide to improve access for disabled people in sports clubs. “Access for all: Opening Doors” aims to break down one of the main barriers fordisabled people; venue accessibility. They will be using the hashtag #DoorsToActivity and have also set up a Thunderclap for people to support during the week. You can support it by clicking this link https://www.thunderclap.it/projects/7071-doors-to-activity. EFDS hope sport, fitness and other providers will promote their opportunities for disabled people. For full information go to their website here
The London Coaching Foundation is having a festival of sports, arts and community based activities for disabled and non-disabled people in East London. The Have a Go event is supported by Motivate East, an inclusive sports participation project for disabled and non-disabled people living in East London. Other organisations lined up to take part include Seg 87, the umbrella Paralympic cast dance team, Hackney Deaf Plus, Hackney Learning Disability Centre, the Alzheimer’s Society and TLC Care Services and the Stroke Project. The event takes place at the Cre8 Life Style Centre, 80 Eastway, Hackney Wick E9 5JH from 12noon to 5pm on December 3. The venue is accessible from street level via a platform lift and admission is free.
A group of four disabled servicemen set off to row across the Atlantic on Monday 2nd December, embarking on one of the biggest adventures of their lives rowing 3,000 miles to Antigua, spurred on by the memory of comrades in arms. See here for more information.
The Office for Disability Issues will be publishing the second edition of Aspire 2, the online magazine which aims to inspire young disabled people to get involved with disability issues. The magazine’s theme will be Attitudes and it will include articles by the Minister of State for Disabled People, Mike Penning; Channel 4 presenter Alex Brooker; and Paralympian Louise Hunt.