On December 3rd Armenian Caritas organized the event “The Sun Shines for Everyone” within the framework of a larger project entitled “Information and Support Center for People with Multiple Disabilities.” The event was held to commemorate International Day of Persons with Disabilities.
On December 3rd Armenian Caritas organized the event “The Sun Shines for Everyone” within the framework of a larger project entitled “Information and Support Center for People with Multiple Disabilities.” The event was held to commemorate International Day of Persons with Disabilities. The city-wide event was held at the Gyumri municipality office and was organized in partnership with state and non-governmental organizations working in related fields. The aim of the event was to support the integration of people with disabilities into society and raise awareness about their abilities.
According to United Nations data, people with various disabilities make up 15% of the world’s population. This largest “minority” group often faces exclusion from different spheres of life due to inaccessible conditions. Armenian Caritas is convinced that equal and accessible conditions for a full life can be achieved only through joint efforts.
The “Information and Support Center for People with Multiple Disabilities” project was one of numerous projects initiated by Armenian Caritas this year. The project was established to provide information, consultations, and trainings about people with disabilities to different groups, as well as to gather data from various sources for use in the further implementation of advocacy activities. This project also supported the development of mechanisms to offer specific and targeted assistance for people with disabilities.
Also within the framework of the Information and Support Center project, the organization plans to develop further cooperation with interested organizations and establish a network of stakeholders. The establishment of such a network will provide disabled people and their families with more comprehensive and direct information.
The first step taken by the organization was the operation of a hotline to provide disability-related information to callers. This hotline not only provides necessary socio-psychological consultations, but also refers callers to relevant organizations that can provide more efficient solutions to their problems.
Later, round table discussions were coordinated with interested organizations in order to arrange a joint event and plan some next steps. A workshop with local media representatives was also held, during which some key issues were addressed, including the basics of providing media coverage about disability, and ways of changing stereotypes in society. During this meeting Armenian Caritas also announced a contest for the best news publication.
The International Day of Persons with Disabilities event referenced above was one of the first tangible results of the developing cooperation among interested stakeholders, and was made possible by the combined resources contributed by the supporting organizations. During the celebration, the beneficiaries of the participating organizations performed, their handicrafts were presented, and children showed visitors the modern art pieces they had made with professional artists. The modern art pieces included performance art and wooden cubes decorated with their paintings, which represented the main themes of the event
- Let’s live together!
- Nothing about us without us!
- I can be one of the first ones!
- It’s your disability not to see my ability!
The organizers of the event were excited about the successful initiative and decided to make it a tradition, and in every way to promote developing the culture of joint activities between state and non-governmental organizations.
Download the list of organizers here: