According to a press release issued by the
UN Information Center (UNIC), the full text of his message reads:
"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.
"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." -- NNN-IRNA
0 comments:
Post a Comment