This year’s
Paralympic Games were a reminder of the immense potential of persons with
disabilities to soar and to inspire. One girl wrote to a Paralympic gold-medal
champion, “Watching as you overcome the difficulties of life, reaching for new
victories and new heights in sports, I derive strength and inspiration.”
Persons with disabilities have a significant positive
impact on society, and their contributions can be even greater if we remove barriers
to their participation. With more than one billion persons with disabilities in
our world today, this is more important than ever.
My United Nations Messenger of Peace focusing on this
issue, the legendary superstar Stevie Wonder, embodies the spirit of service to
others. After playing a spectacular UN Day concert at our Headquarters this
year, he said, “I haven’t even touched one iota of what I want to do for and
through the United Nations to help heal this world.”
Our challenge is to provide all people with the equality
of access they need and deserve. Ultimately, this will create a better world
for all. As negotiators at this year’s “Rio+20” United
Nations Conference on Sustainable Development agreed, accessibility is critical
to achieve the future we want.
Together, we must strive to achieve the goals of the United
Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities: to eliminate discrimination and exclusion, and to
create societies that value diversity and inclusion.
In order to spur action to bridge the gap between
well-meaning commitments and long-overdue actions, the United Nations
General Assembly will hold a High-Level meeting on disability and development next
year. This gathering will take place as the international community works to forge a
post-2015 development agenda, presenting an opportunity to ensure that the rights,
concerns and contributions of persons with disabilities are fully taken into
account.
This International Day of Persons with Disabilities
marks the official opening of preparations for the High-level Meeting. Let us make
the most of our commemoration by working to ensure that persons with
disabilities enjoy their rights and realize their great potential.
Source: UN enable
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