One month to WDSD!

[Guest guest]

Dear friends,With

one month to the first UN official World Down Syndrome Day, Down Syndrome International would like to ask your help to spread the word about the date, that is still unknown in the US:1) Put a World Down Syndrome Day badge on your Facebook page and ask your friends to do the same:http://www.picbadges.com/world-down-syndrome-day-new-logo/2481065/2) Buy a t-shirt, mug, travel mug or tote bad and circulate with them.http://www.printfection.com/world-down-syndrome-day

3) Organize events and invite people to attend. Anything works - School, church, parks... Get adults with Down Syndrome to help and make it inclusive! Call the local newspaper, TV, and ask them to cover it. Offer articles to be published, etc

3) Join this exciting free event to take place at the United Nations Headquarters in NY on 3/21. But hurry, the spaces are limited!http://www.ds-int.org/news/1851The

first United Nations observed World Down Syndrome Day (WDSD) will be celebrated at the UN Headquarters in New York, USA, on 21 March 2012 (3/21), with the Conference “Building Our Futureâ€.Inclusive

education, human rights, political participation, changing society attitudes, independent living, how to work with the media and research are some of the topics that will be discussed.

See below the current programme:10.00 to 10:30 - OpeningWelcome and Introductions Penny on OAM, Chair of Board, Down Syndrome International (DSi)UN Secretary General Ban-Ki Moon - Message on WDSD (to be confirmed)Head of Brazilian and Polish MissionsCo-sponsor Organisations

10:30 to 11.00 - UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and Inclusion - The Importance of Global Coordination Effort to Socialize the Conventionngela Berman-Bieler - Senior Adviser on Children with Disabilities, UNICEFPenny on - Promoting inclusion in schools in IndonesiaShona on - Australia - Self-advocate - My Life...My Education.Beatriz Paiva - Brazil - Self-advocate - Carpe Diem Association - Co-author of book on communication accessibility

11.00 to 11:30 - Human Rights and Political Participation of Self-Advocatesa Bas - Director of Division for Social Policy and Development (DESA), UN Alejandra Villanueva Contreras- Peru - Self-advocate - Fighting for her right to vote Egan - USA - Self-advocate - Lobbying for his rights at the US CongressEster Nadal Tarrago - Spain - Self-advocate who participated on book on the Convention

11:30 to 12:30 - Changing Society Attitudes - From Neglect and Institutionalization to Protagonist and Living in the CommunityRose Mordi - Nigeria - President of Down Syndrome Foundation NigeriaK.S. Sripathi - India - State Chief Information Commissioner, Tamil Nadu Government, Down Syndrome Association of Tamil Nadu Kingsley - USA - Self-advocate, Co-author of book “Count Us In: Growing Up With Down Syndrome†Perl Kingsley - USA - Mother, writer, activist, author of “Welcome to Hollandâ€Tom Forester - USA - Director of Residential Services - Association for Children with Down Syndrome (ACDS), Long Island, NY Brennan - USA - ACDS Group Home Resident

12:30 to 13:00 - The Power of Media - A Guide to Work with the Media to Promote Inclusion Whitten - USA - Global Down Syndrome Foundation - How to get media’s attention in a positive, constructive way Almeida - Brazil - MetaSocial Institute - Brazil’s experience with WDSD and inclusive actions in collaboration with the MediaTatiana Heiderich - Brazil/Holland - Self-advocate on her experience as a TV reporter

13:00 to 14:00 - Care, Treatment and Research - What’s new on the DS frontDr. Florez - Director, Mass General Hospital Down Syndrome Clinic; Director, NDSC; Clinical Advisory Board, NDSSDr. Chicoine - Medical Director, Adult Down Syndrome Center, Lutheran General Hospital; Scientific Advisory Research Group, DSiDr. Dennis McGuire - Director of Psychosocial Services, Adult Down Syndrome Center, Lutheran General Hospital; Scientific Advisory Research Group, DSiDr. McCabe - Executive Director, Crnic Institute for Down SyndromeMargie Doyle - Down Syndrome Research and Treatment Foundation (DSRTF) - Latest on research and how to help studies move faster

14:00h to 14.30 – Launch:1) DSi 2012 WDSD Global Video Event2) New WDSD Website3) DSi UN Convention Global Outreach Programme4)

Book “Change the way you speak and I will change my way ofunderstandingâ€- By Carolina Yuki Fijihira, Ana Beatriz Pierre Paiva, Beatriz Ananias Giordano, Carolina de Vecchio Maia, Carolina Reis Costa Golebski, Claudio Aleoni Arruda, Thiago Rodrigues, from Carpe Diem Association, Brazil5) Book “The United Nations International Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities commented by its Protagonists†– By Down España http://www.inclusion-international.org/wp-content/uploads/Guia-Convencin...14:30 – Closing

The event is sponsored by the Missions of Brazil and Poland to the UN and organised by Down Syndrome International with the collaboration of the Brazilian Federation of Associations of Down Syndrome (FBASD), Down España, Down Syndrome Research and Treatment Foundation (DSRTF), National Down Syndrome Congress (NDSC), National Down Syndrome Society (NDSS), Special Olympics and the UN Secretariat for the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

RegistrationParticipants from all around the world are welcome, especially those with Down syndrome.There is no cost for registration. Confirmation to attend the event can be made by the email to undsconference@....Please

inform name, email, age, nationality, relation to Down syndrome (self, parent, relative, professional, teacher, student, friend or other-specify), document number (passport, driver’s license, student´s ID), whether you have a disability and what kind and if you need a disability-related accommodation or service.Only participants with their names on the list and an ID will be allowed in the building. Space is limited.

About Down syndromeDown syndrome is a naturally occurring chromosomal arrangement that has

always been a part of the human condition, being universally present across racial, gender or socio-economic lines, and affecting approximately 1 in 800 live births, although there is considerable variation worldwide. Down syndrome usually causes varying degrees of intellectual and physical disability and associated medical issues.

About World Down Syndrome DayWorld

Down Syndrome Day (WDSD) was established by Down Syndrome International

in 2006 and has been observed in over 60 countries worldwide to date. It is held on 21 March (21/3) to signify the uniqueness of the triplication (trisomy) of chromosome 21 which causes the genetic condition.The aim of the day is to raise awareness and understanding about Down syndrome, and to promote

the inherent rights of persons with Down syndrome to enjoy full and dignified lives and be active and valuable participants in their communities and society.A resolution to designate 21/3 as “World Down Syndrome Dayâ€, to be observed every year beginning in 2012, was adopted by consensus by the United Nations General Assembly in December 2011. The resolution was proposed and promoted by Brazil, and co-sponsored by 78 UN Member States. From 2012 onwards, the date will be celebrated by all 192 UN countries. To learn more about the resolution process at the UN, visit http://www.ds-int.org/news/1769.

Tks

Pat