Messina celebrates the International Day of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities: “The Union makes the Difference”.

The Municipal Administration of Messina, together with Messina Social City, Asp, the University of Messina, the IRCSS, the CNR Irib, the Gaetano Martino Hospital Trust, the National Deaf Organization, the Italian Union of the Blind, the Hellen Keller Regional Center, the Diocesan Caritas, the Italian Paralympic Committee, Anfas, the Il Volo Association, the Audacia Cooperative Society, on the occasion of the “International Day of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities”, today, Tuesday 3 December, has organized promotional and awareness-raising activities on this important issue in the initiative “The Union makes the Difference”.

Since 2006, the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities has underlined the need to defend and safeguard, also through the celebration of 3 December, the quality of life of people with disabilities with respect to the principles of equality and participation in the political, social, economic and cultural aspects of society. The MIUR (Ministry of Education and Merit) also intended to celebrate this day by reiterating these principles, in order to guarantee equal opportunities and absence of discrimination and promoting awareness regarding the different forms of disability.

The Municipal Administration, therefore, with this initiative, wanted to join, also this year, the choral intent to draw attention to this particular social and educational theme. Starting from the morning of Tuesday 3 December in Piazza Duomo, inside the Cathedral Basilica, the event “Different Perspectives” took place with experiential paths to learn about the challenges of disability and to which all the comprehensive schools of the city were invited to participate, with their own representation.

In the afternoon, instead, from 15.30 pm to 17 pm, at the Palacultura “Antonello da Messina”, another event entitled “Disability: Research, good practices for inclusion”, a round table with the participation of institutions such as the ASP of Messina, the University, the IRCCS, the CNR-IRIB, the “Gaetano Martino” Hospital Trust, as well as, with the Messina Social City and the involvement of Volunteer and Third Sector Associations that deal with this specific sector such as the Diocesan Caritas, the Italian Paralympic Committee, the Cooperative Society “Audacia” and the ANFFAS of Messina, in which there will be an open discussion aimed at taking stock of the research activities in progress and the good practices already implemented and the results achieved which pursue the objective of inclusion and greater awareness about it.

As part of the initiatives promoted on the occasion of this day and the intent to promote its goals throughout the socio-educational path that this Administration has set itself since its inauguration, on January 15, at the Palacultura Auditorium, a solidarity show “Dance and music beyond barriers” will be held, with the performance of disabled artists, organized by the “Bambini speciali” Association and sponsored by the Municipality of Messina.