Jyrki Pinomaa’s message looking back at 2021.
Please allow me to share with you some thoughts as we close another year of our common fight for rights and full inclusion of people with intellectual disabilities and their families.
Human rights are universal. They belong equally to all people. We are all continuously fighting for the rights of people with intellectual disabilities and their families in Europe.
We do it as Inclusion Europe together with you, our members. Together with people with intellectual disabilities, together with their families, together with other activists and organisations.
We do it also by listening to their opinions, hopes, and plans.
As the pandemic continues, we all have now been for almost two years dealing with its influence. It is the sad truth our fight is needed now more than ever.
The most vulnerable people are those whose rights tend to be forgotten the quickest. All our work is needed to remind our governments and societies about the UN CRPD.
We are needed to remind them nobody should be left behind when societies start rebuilding from the pandemic.
2021 at Inclusion Europe was about the topic of employment.
For the second time we were unable to meet in person during our Europe in Action conference. Inclusion Finland with our collaboration organised our first ever online Europe in Action. The conference brought together hundreds of self-advocates, family members, and professionals.
Hear our Voices! self-advocacy conference was organised as a mix of events contributed by many self-advocacy groups and organisations. It was, once again, a great show of power of the self-advocate organisations. I wish to thank ENABLE Scotland for sponsoring the conference.
Your support and collaboration make our work possible.
To all our members, and other organisations supporting people with intellectual disabilities and families during these difficult times – your work has been essential.
My thoughts, solidarity, and respect go to all those with intellectual disabilities, and family members dealing with the impact of the pandemic and supporting each other.
I wish you all a better New Year 2022!
You can read also:
- my interview about Inclusion Europe work
- summary of 2021
