Skip to content
 Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube
European Down Syndrome Association (EDSA)
  • Home
  • Coronavirus
  • About EDSA
    • Mission and Goals
    • Board
    • Members of EDSA
    • Membership EDSA
    • Statutes
    • History and Archives
  • Down Syndrome
  • Categories
    • Webinars
    • News from Member Organizations
    • News from Science
    • Events
    • Projects
    • World Down Syndrome Day
      • World Down syndrome Day 2023
      • World Down Syndrome Day 2022
      • World Down Syndrome Day 2021
      • World Down Syndrome Day 2020
      • World Down Syndrome Day 2019
      • World Down Syndrome Day 2018
      • World Down Syndrome Day 2017
      • World Down Syndrome Day 2016
    • Books – Magazines – Films
      • Croatian
      • Czech
      • Dutch
      • English
      • French
      • German
      • Italian
      • Polish
      • Romanian
      • Slovakian
      • Spanish
  • EDSA Newsletter
  • Contact
  • Restricted Area
    • Board members
    • Members

World Down syndrome Day 2023

World Down Syndrome Day 2023

World Down Syndrome Day (WDSD) is a global awareness day recognized since 2012 by the UN, which takes place on 21 March every year. On WDSD people with Down syndrome, their families, friends and advocates, work to raise awareness of what Down syndrome is, what it means to have Down syndrome, and how persons with Down syndrome play a vital role in lives and communities.

WDSD 2023 focus on the message: With Us Not For Us

With Us Not For Us is a human rights-based approach to disability. Down syndrome International and all its members are committed to moving on from the outdated charity model of disability, where people with disability were treated as objects of charity, deserving of pity and relying on others for support. Our approach now views people with disabilities as having the right to be treated fairly and have the same opportunities as everyone else, working With others to improve their lives.
The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities calls for everyone to have the freedom to make their own choices. But people with Down syndrome often have poor or controlling support. Often their supporters do things For them, not With them. The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities calls for full and effective participation of persons with disabilities. But many organizations exclude people with Down syndrome from taking part in their work. They take decisions For them not With them.

Our global network calls:
– for all supporters to be With Us Not For Us.
– for all organizations to include people with Down syndrome and being With Us Not For Us.
– for all decision makers to commit to involve organizations representing people with Down syndrome in all decisions, and work With Us Not For Us.

Down Syndrome International and its members are Organizations of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs). This means we represent and work With people with Down syndrome, not just For them.

In this context, legal capacity is a main issue. The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UN CRPD) says that people with disabilities have the right to: “Enjoy legal capacity on an equal basis with others in all aspects of life” and should have access to “the support they may require in exercising their legal capacity.”
Legal capacity means that the law recognizes you as a person with rights. It means that everyone can make decisions about important things in their lives. But many people with Down syndrome around the world are denied legal capacity. Legal arrangements like guardianship stop people from making their own decisions. Or people don’t have proper support to make decisions for themselves. Governments must make sure that people with Down syndrome can make decisions about their lives with appropriate support.

Poster campaign on the EDSA website

The focus of the 2023 EDSA campaign „With Us Not For Us“ is to show how people with Down syndrome are involved in the work of their associations. Where and how do they play a role in decision making bodies. Not only in DS organizations, but also in other contexts where decisions are made that affect their lives. How do they play a role in city councils, in political parties, in boards of institutions or clubs etc. Do they have the right to vote?
From 1st to 21st March 2023 we show good examples from all over Europe!

Poster of the 2023 EDSA WDSD Poster campaign “With Us Not For Us”. The photo shows Vincent with the Minister of people with disabilities. Text to the photo shown: Vincent Cuel is the vice-secretary of Trisomie 21 France and represents the federation at conferences and meetings.

WDSD 2023 “With-Us-Not-For-Us” – France

Hello, My name is Vincent Cuel, I am vice-secretary of the France Down Syndrom federation. I am present at the boards of the association, I take part in discussions and … Read more

Poster of the 2023 EDSA WDSD Poster campaign “With Us Not For Us”. The photo shows Jean next to an advertising display of the association. In his hands he holds an advertisement that says: Get involved! Text to the photo shown: Jean participates in decisions making for the Association

WDSD 2023 “With-Us-Not-For-Us” – Belgium

Jean Mylonas is a full member of the General Assembly of Inclusion asbl.As an effective member, he votes and participates in decisions making for the Association. For him, this commitment … Read more

Poster of the 2023 EDSA WDSD Poster campaign “With Us Not For Us”. The photo shows Montserrat Vilarrasa in a white dress with floral motifs. Text to the photo shown: Montserrat Vilarrasa works at the City Council in Barcelona

WDSD 2023 “With-Us-Not-For-Us” – Spain

I am Montserrat Vilarrasa, an activist for the human rights of people with intellectual disabilities. I am a member of the Municipal Institute of Disabled Persons in Barcelona (Spain) and … Read more

Poster of the 2023 EDSA WDSD Poster campaign “With Us Not For Us”. The photo shows a group of the advicer team - four women and six men. Text to the photo shown: The adviser team of the Fundació Catalana Síndrome de Down

WDSD 2023 “With-Us-Not-For-Us” – Spain

We are the Montserrat Trueta Human Rights Assembly of the Catalan Down Syndrome Foundation (FCSD). We are a large team of people with Down Syndrome and in a situation of … Read more

Poster of the 2023 EDSA WDSD Poster campaign “With Us Not For Us”. The photo shows Sandra throwing her ballot paper into the ballot box. Some other voters can be seen in the background. Text to the photo shown: Sandra voted for the first time at the 2023 elections for the President of the Czech Republic.

WDSD 2023 “With-Us-Not-For-Us” – Czech Republic

Sandra Dusilová Sandra voted at the elections for the President of the Czech Republic for the first time this year and she took it very seriously. At home we had … Read more

Poster of the 2023 EDSA WDSD Poster campaign “With Us Not For Us”. The photo shows a half-length portrait of Fiona. She is wearing a light blue polo shirt and a scarf. Text to the photo shown: Fiona Dawson works to influence change and promote the rights and independence of others.

WDSD 2023 “With-Us-Not-For-Us” – Scotland

Fiona Dawson, a life member with Down’s Syndrome Scotland works tirelessly to influence change and promote the rights and independence of others. Fiona helped to create a Human Rights Town … Read more

Poster of the 2023 EDSA WDSD Poster campaign “With Us Not For Us”. The photo shows Fintan Bray in a white shirt sitting at his desk. Text to the photo shown: Fintan Bray, elected to a senior position within a political party.

WDSD 2023 “With-Us-Not-For-Us” – Ireland

On the 1st October, 2022 I got elected on to the Ard Comhairle of Fianna Fáil. I believe I am the first person with Down Syndrome to be elected to … Read more

Poster of the 2023 EDSA WDSD Poster campaign “With Us Not For Us”. The photo shows Bentine standing between the two prime ministerial candidates, a woman and a man. Text to the photo shown: Bentine meeting the two Norwegian prime ministerial candidates, before she votes in the election.

WDSD 2023 “With-Us-Not-For-Us” – Norway

Bentine Borge is 21 years old. She has chosen to do theatre, dance, music and lectures full-time, she is also active on TikTok with many followers. Since Bentine was seven … Read more

Poster of the 2023 EDSA WDSD Poster campaign “With Us Not For Us”. The photo shows a man with Down syndrome throwing his ballot paper into the ballot box. Text to the photo shown: Our Vote counts! Being an active citizen also means exercising your right to vote.

WDSD 2023 “With-Us-Not-For-Us” – Italy

Our vote counts Being a citizen means belonging to a community and having rights but also duties to respect.An active citizen is someone who participates in daily and social life … Read more

Poster of the 2023 EDSA WDSD Poster campaign “With Us Not For Us”. The photo shows a group of people with Down syndrome sitting around a table discussing. Text to the photo shown: ONaomi (Pace Gasan) discusses and decides in the DSA Malta Committee.

WDSD 2023 “With-Us-Not-For-Us” – Malta

Ms Naomi Pace Gasan is one of the committee members in the Down Syndrome Association Malta Committee.  Here the committee is discussing the points on the agenda and Naomi is … Read more

Older posts
Page1 Page2 Page3 Next →
+ More
Annual General Assembly (AGA) 27 to 29 October 2023 in Madrid
Read more

Latest News

  • 30

    Down Syndrome International – Celebrating 30 years

    DSi was founded back in 1993 Three remarkable women, from different parts of the world, joined together in their determination to make the world a… Read more

    Published on 3. October 2023

  • Logo EDSA webinar

    International Guidelines for the Education of Learners with Down Syndrome

    Datum: Wednesday, 18 Oktober 2023. 17.00 CET Speaker: Associate Professor Rhonda Faragher, AO, PhD, University of Queensland, Australia Translation: Croatian, Czech, French, German, Turkish and… Read more

    Published on 26. September 2023

  • EDSA Logotype

    EDSA Annual General Assembly (AGA) 2023

    This year's EDSA annual meeting will take place in Madrid from 27 to 29 October. After online events in 2020, 2021 and 2022, the participants… Read more

    Published on 25. September 2023

Illustration of Coronavirus (Covid-19)CORONAVIRUS SPECIAL PAGE

On our Coronavirus (COVID-19) Special Page we have compiled a list with helpful links to resources from organizations in various countries.
To Coronavirus Special Page

Logo EDSA webinars

November 2020 EDSA startet with regular webinars. On the third Wednesday of every month internationally renowned speakers talk about important Down Syndrome-related topics. After the lecture there is the possibility asking questions to the speaker. Read more

Logo “invite an expert!“

It is one of EDSAs goals to share experiences as well as good practices and support each other with information and expertise. Within the program “Invite an expert” an EDSA member can invite a Down Syndrome professional from another member organization on a special topic to a conference or workshop, being organized in their own country. Read more

Logo EDSA Family

As EDSA, one of our aims is to build bridges between families who have a child or a relative with Down syndrome and are living in different countries. Read more

Categories

  • Books – Magazines – Films (15)
  • Events (56)
  • News from Member Organizations (45)
  • News from Science (37)
  • Projects (28)
  • Webinars (20)
  • World Down Syndrome Day (221)
    • World Down Syndrome Day 2016 (23)
    • World Down Syndrome Day 2017 (37)
    • World Down Syndrome Day 2018 (35)
    • World Down Syndrome Day 2019 (22)
    • World Down Syndrome Day 2020 (24)
    • World Down Syndrome Day 2021 (23)
    • World Down Syndrome Day 2022 (27)
    • World Down syndrome Day 2023 (25)

Recent Articles

  • Down Syndrome International – Celebrating 30 years
  • International Guidelines for the Education of Learners with Down Syndrome
  • EDSA Annual General Assembly (AGA) 2023
  • Annual General Assembly (AGA) 2023 in Madrid
  • Down Syndrome Regression Disorder

EDSA IS A MEMBER OF

Logo Down Syndrome International Logo European Disability Forum Logo Trisomy 21 Research Society

 

 

© 2023 European Down Syndrome Association (EDSA) • Built with GeneratePress
Next Page »