Celebrations of the 2024 International Day of People with Disability (I-Day) in the ACT will be organised by and centred around the lived experience of the ACT disability community.
"I-Day is held annually on 3 December and is an important time for celebrating the leadership, achievements and contributions people with disability make to our city,” said Minister for Disability Suzanne Orr.
“The 2024 theme is ‘amplifying the leadership of persons with disabilities for an inclusive and sustainable future’ and there are a great range of inclusive, all-abilities events occurring all across Canberra.
“I encourage Canberrans to attend an I-Day event and reflect on how we can continue to ensure Canberra is an inclusive city where people with disability can participate in all aspects of community life.”
2024 celebrations of I-Day in the ACT will also be the first organised and led by organisations representing people with disability.
This followed an extensive consultation process which identified some local community themes including voice, power, identity and self-direction to shape the day going forward across the entire year.
Advocacy for Inclusion are the inaugural host organisation and together with Women with Disabilities ACT will oversight the day with a new Steering Committee consisting of talented people with disability across the ACT community to ensure people with disability have the opportunity to lead, inform and participate in this important day of change and celebration.
“I am proud the ACT Government has handed over control of I-Day ACT celebrations to the community from this year onwards,” Minister Orr said.
“The transition occurred in partnership with the community and through the principle Nothing About Us, Without Us.
“The move to community control reflects the views of the community, their representatives and advocates who have overwhelming told us celebrations for I-Day should be led and managed by people with lived experience.
“It also demonstrates the delivery of a key action in the ACT Disability Strategy to explore options to ensure I-Day is community-led.
“I would like to acknowledge the hard work of all those who have advocated for I-Day celebrations to be led by people with lived experience.
“I would also like to thank all members of the disability community who participated in the consultation and shared their views, thoughts and ideas around celebrating I-Day.”
A full list of activities held in and around Canberra on I-Day can be found on the ACT Government website.
Quotes attributable to Craig Wallace, Head of Policy, Advocacy for Inclusion:
“This year we’re kicking off I-Day with an event called “Our Lives, Our Voices – Shaping the future through voice, power, identity and self-direction” with a smashing panel hosted by Ellen Fanning, best known for her role in the hot seat on the national ABC program ‘The Drum’.
“The event will also host the official handover of I-Day to the community through a Charter, a showcase of words and images speaking to the new local I-Day themes of Voice, Power, Self-Direction and Identity plus the launch of a new I-Day website.
“We want people with disabilities to feel proud and seen in everything we do.
“It will take love, time and hard work but we want I-Day to be as present in the lives of people in Canberra as the National Multicultural Festival and Spring Out.”
- Statement ends -
