International Day of Persons with Disabilities Celebrated by UWCF Together with Students of Specialized School for Hearing-Impaired Children

Annually, on 3 December, the global community celebrates the International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD). This day was determined by the resolution of the UN General Assembly in 1992. Ukraine joined the celebration of this holiday in 2009, having ratified the International Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

United World Cultures Foundation calls on every member of the society to show a tolerant attitude towards disabled persons. They are people of strong spirit and incredible willpower, so it is for a reason that this year the Ukrainian national team has taken the third place in the overall standing at the Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.

The World Health Organization says there is more than 1 billion people living with one disability form, which makes up almost 15% of the globe’s population. Today, Ukraine counts more than 2,800,000 persons assigned with the disability status, including 151,000 children.

On the eve of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, UWCF team members Ilona Knyshuk and Olena Kobets, together with our friends from Social Harmony, visited the specialized comprehensive residential school No. 18 in Kyiv having 230 students – hearing-impaired children aged between 5 and 18. Our charitable foundation brought some sweet treats for all young students.

Children who can barely hear any sounds prepared a wonderful concert “Let’s Believe in Ourselves”. Dancing and singing in the sign language left a lasting impression and evoked amazing emotions from all present guests. Moreover, the school’s lobby offered an exhibition of talented student works for all visitors to enjoy.

Despite it is a hard task to share emotions using the Internet, we will give it a try. So please find and watch the video and photos we took during the visit.