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Friday 21 March 2014

In celebration of World down Syndrome Day 2014 (8): UN conference


Today is World Down Syndrome Day - a day to celebrate the lives of people with Down syndrome worldwide.

For the third time, people with Down syndrome will be recognised and celebrated by the United Nations, with a one day event in New York. Speakers will include five people with Down syndrome:
The 3rd World Down Syndrome Day Conference, based on the theme "Health and Wellbeing - Access and Equality for All" will take place at United Nations Headquarters in New York, USA on Friday 21 March 2014 in the Economic and Social Council Chamber from 1.30pm-6pm. Registration is FREE OF CHARGE. 
All people with Down syndrome have the right to access healthcare when required on an equal basis with others without discrimination and with proper assessment of the specific health needs of the individual ...  World Down Syndrome Day 2014
Here are some excerpts from the introduction to the five people with Down syndrome from around the world, who will speaking at the UN - you can read their full biographical notes at the links above:

Ms Jaspreet Kaur Sekhon is 33 years old, and has been working as a Teacher’s Aide for 13 years. She is also a self-advocate and an active member of Down Syndrome Association, Singapore and an Ambassador of Down Syndrome International. She enjoys dance and music, travelling and meeting people. Jaspreet tries to have a healthy and active lifestyle ...

Débora Moura Araújo Seabra was born in 1981, in Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil. She is a high school graduate who has been exclusively educated in regular schools. Through the Down Syndrome Association’s Action and Dignity Programme she has held several internships as a sales assistant, receptionist, model, and assistant teacher. After completing a teaching class and several internships, Ms. Seabra decided she wanted to be a teacher, which is her current profession ...

Sara Pickard is a self-advocate who has Down’s Syndrome and lives near Cardiff, in South Wales. She has worked full-time for Mencap Cymru, a charity which works on behalf of those with learning disabilities throughout Wales, for nearly eight years. Her current role is as Participation Officer for the ‘Inspire Me’ project which involves her delivering training to young people with learning disabilities and a range of additional needs, in schools and colleges throughout Wales. She has worked as a volunteer in Lesotho and Botswana in Southern Africa as part of her work, and was a speaker at the World Down’s Syndrome Congress in Cape Town, South Africa in 2012. She has also been a keynote speaker at a number of conferences held in Wales dealing with education and health issues and is a Trustee of her local Down’s Syndrome Support Group ...

Benjamin Majewski is a Resource Specialist with the Down Syndrome Program at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, Mass. He is also employed by O’Hara’s Restaurant in Newton, MA as a busperson. His third job is a seasonal position with the grounds crew of the Boston Red Sox baseball team. Ben is currently a student with the Transitional Scholars Program of MassBay Community College, a program which supports people with intellectual disabilities at the college level. In 2011, Ben was the keynote speaker for the Massachusetts Down Syndrome Congress annual conference ...

Thenjiwe Ndebele is the National Chairperson of the Self Advocacy Movement of South Africa (SAMSA) which is a programme of Down Syndrome South Africa (DSSA) and represents SAMSA on the national DSSA board. She was appointed by the self advocates at a meeting in 2013 and will serve a four year term ...

Down Syndrome International WDSD 2014 poster

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