Vatican City, 09 May 2013: Vatican Radio hosted a conference this week associated
with the Europe for Citizenship program for the EU. Entitled “Think Different, Think
Europe”, the project brought together young citizens from different EU countries who
have Down Syndrome. The conference concluded on Thursday, 9th May, the
day designated to celebrate the European Union.
Together, through the help
of interpreters, they discussed the challenges that face people with Down Syndrome
in their home nations but also on a wider EU level. What emerged from the debate was
the sense that greater awareness needs to be raised among society at large about Down
Syndrome, and what people affected by it – to varying degrees – can do.
One
issue of particular importance to these young people, from 19 to 26 years of age,
was their right to active participation in the social and political life and future
of their countries. On the back of the first project “My Opinion My Vote”, many young
men and women with Down Syndrome have taken concrete steps to raise awareness and
get action on accessibility to the vote for people with Down Syndrome in their home
countries. Steps that included lobbying government and civil society representatives.
In
short, the project is about making sure that their voices are heard, understood and
respected. It’s about building bridges between people with Down Syndrome across the
EU and with wider society. Source: VR Eng