International Day of Persons with Disabilities

A recording of this message can be found on YouTube and Tencent Video

Happy International Day of Persons with Disabilities.

On this day, we draw close attention to the situation of the world’s over one billion persons with disabilities in all aspects of social, economic, and cultural life; to call for your support in advancing the rights and well-being of this group at every level of society and development.

Due to the many pervasive challenges that prevent them from equally participating in social and economic life, people with disabilities remain one of the most marginalized and invisible groups in our societies. Realizing the rights of persons with disabilities is crucial to fulfilling the core promise of the 2030 Agenda, which strives to ensure no one is left behind.

The emergence of many transformative and innovative solutions and practices enables more and more people, with and without disabilities, to see the possibilities of an inclusive environment where the barriers are removed.

China is home to over 85 million persons with disabilities. Thanks to the advancements in technology and innovation, over the years, the lives and livelihoods of many persons with disabilities have improved, and their capacities and values have been increasingly recognized throughout society. More and more people with disabilities are expressing their willingness to step up and represent themselves, to tell their own stories.

For this year’s celebration in China, under the great support of the UN Theme Group on Disability and our friends and partners from the disability community, UNESCO and UNFPA, together with the UN family in China, are presenting you a selection of 32 photos capturing the authentic life stories of persons with disabilities. I encourage all of you to take a look at these wonderful photos on UNESCO’s and UNFPA’s social media accounts.

As expressed by United Nations Secretary-General Mr. António Guterres, “The cornerstone of this cooperation must be the active participation of persons with disabilities in their full diversity, and their full inclusion in all decision-making processes.”

Whether at the workplace, engaging in sports and other activities, or simply living our everyday lives, let us remember that beyond the disability label, we are all wonderfully ordinary.

Thank you.