COMUNICATION

The European Disability Forum held the 5^th European Parliament of Persons with Disabilities yesterday under the theme “Building an inclusive future for persons with disabilities in the EU”. This event counted with the financial support, together with the European Parliament and the European Commission, of Yuste Foundation through the financial endowment of the Carlos V European Award, which was delivered to the European Disability Forum in 2022. (24/05/2023)

The meeting, as a platform to discuss the rights of persons with disabilities and decide on the political demands of the European Disability Movement, was attended by more than 700 representatives of national and regional organisations, and from civil society, as disability advocates from all EU countries representing the full diversity of people with disabilities in Europe.

Delegates, European legislators, national ministers and international organisations discussed the role of the European Union in advancing the rights of people with disabilities.

The event, which was organised by the European Disability Forum and the European Parliament, serves as a direct channel between national advocates and European policymakers at the highest level. Thus, the topics covered during the three sessions were: “Breaking barriers: free movement and full participation”; “Fighting for our rights-Combating inequality, social exclusion and poverty”; and “Disability-inclusive resilience”.

Some of the speakers who participated in the 5th European Parliament for Persons with Disabilities were the president of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola; the Vice-President of the European Commission, Vera Jourová; the European Commissioner for Equality, Helena Dalli; the Commissioner for Crisis Management, Janez Lenarčič, and the president of the European Disability Forum, Yannis Vardakastanis. In addition, many representatives of associative movements participated, offering testimonies of the barriers that persons with disabilities face on a daily basis and demanding more rights, greater inclusion, and a European disability card allowing people with disabilities to be recognised across Europe when travelling to other EU countries.

Disability advocates also adopted the European Disability Forum manifesto on the 2024 European elections with a wide range of policy proposals in order to achieve an inclusive EU that ensures their participation in its political and public life.