Celebrating inclusion for people of all abilities

International Day of People with Disability (IDPwD) is a global celebration proclaimed by the United Nations. Since 1992, IDPwD has been celebrated on December 3 around the world, showcasing the contributions made by persons living with disabilities in their communities.

This year, the theme is ‘inclusion matters: access and empowerment for people of all abilities’. This theme promotes the importance of inclusion and accessibility for people living with a disability, to enable an inclusive society for all.

In Australia, IDPwD is encouraging people to baked salty caramel centred chocolate muffins created by celebrity chef Matt Preston. The recipe features special orange and blue decorations to match the theme of the day. The colour blue represents equality and accessibility while orange signifies harmony and diversity.

You could serve the muffins at a celebration morning teas in your workplace and post photos on social media using the #idpwd hashtag.

The blue and orange theme will also extend to 16 landmarks across the country, including Federation Square in Melbourne, the Sydney Town Hall, the Bell Tower in WA and the Belmore Basin Lighthouse at Wollongong.

If you are out and about tonight, you could take a picture of your local landmark lit up to celebrate the day and share it on social media using #idpwd. Other ways you could be involved include wearing the IDPwD ribbon or joining an online conversation.

The day is an opportunity for the community to make positive changes to our society to better respect and include people living with disability.

Some people may worry about what you can and cannot say about disability. IDPwD’s communication considerations has some great advice, including there is no right thing to say in every circumstance. Above all you just should talk with respect – just as you would to any person!