Click on a word which is in blue and bold to read what it means.
Inclusion Europe’s president Jyrki Pinomaa
wrote a letter about the Coronavirus emergency.
This is a summary of what Jyrki wrote:
Dear members, friends and colleagues,
I hope you are all healthy.
The Coronavirus changed many things.
Streets are empty, shops are closed,
and we spend a lot of time at home.
For many people with intellectual disabilities
the situation is even more challenging.
Especially for those who live
Inclusion Europe wants to support you
with plenty of information in easy-to-read
about the Coronavirus emergency.
How to keep in touch
Technology can help us to keep in touch.
For example, with messages, calls and video calls
through the internet.
I managed to have a video call with my two sons
who have an intellectual disability.
Their names are Markus and Robin.
I feel better now that I can keep in touch
with Markus and Robin.
Europe in Action is cancelled
Unfortunately, we cancelled Europe in Action 2020
because of the Coronavirus emergency.
The Europe in Action conference was supposed to happen
in May in Vienna, Austria.
It was a difficult decision
but we think it is the right one.
It was not safe to have a conference
during the Coronavirus emergency.
And safety always comes first.
We will try to do other things
to keep in touch and discuss the topics
of the Europe in Action conference.
For example, we are starting to do
some online meetings.
The situation in Europe
Governments of many countries are doing things
to stop the Coronavirus from spreading.
Following the advice of your government
is the best thing to do.
But we also hope that governments will not discriminate
people with intellectual disabilities.
Governments must keep in mind the UN CRPD
and the equal rights of all citizens.
Inclusion Europe’s members are doing a good job
in standing up for the rights of people with intellectual disabilities
during the Coronavirus emergency.
I hope that everything will be fine again soon.
I hope that you and your families stay healthy.
Let’s keep in touch!
Jyrki Pinomaa
