International Day of Persons with Disabilities is December 3
The following joint message was distributed to students, staff, and faculty on behalf of the Office of the President and the UPEI Student Union on December 1.
Dear Members of the University Community,
December 3 is recognized as the International Day of Persons with Disabilities. It was first proclaimed by the United Nations (UN) in 1992, following the International Year of the Disabled Person in 1981 and the UN Decade of Disabled Persons, 1983–1992. The Day was created to promote the rights and well-being of persons with disabilities, and to increase awareness of their experiences in all areas of society. Disabilities, which can be visible or invisible, are experienced differently by each person, and can intersect with other forms of identity.
Equity, diversity, and inclusion are valued at UPEI, and are central to our mission and vision. These values are fundamental to empowering members of our campus to reach their full potential in the classroom and the broader community. We congratulate members of the UPEI community who have joined forces to form Disability CARE PEI (CARE stands for Celebration, Awareness, Representation, Education), which is made up of representatives from the PEI Cerebral Palsy Association, UPEI Accessibility Services, UPEI Student Union, Black Cultural Society of PEI, Health PEI, Spinal Cord Injury PEI, and PEERS Alliance.
Disability CARE PEI is led by UPEI international student Antwaun Rolle. Antwaun, originally from the Bahamas, is a third-year political science major with a deep interest in learning about developing nations. Born with cerebral palsy, he has recently decided to use his lived experience to help him advocate for people living with all forms of disabilities.
On behalf of Disability CARE PEI, we encourage everyone to attend the raising of the United Nations flag at Charlottetown City Hall on Friday, December 2, at 9:00 am to mark the 30th annual International Day of Persons with Disabilities as well as to a panel discussion on Saturday, December 3, at 2:00 pm at The Fox & Crow in the W.A. Murphy Student Centre at UPEI.
There are individuals within the UPEI campus community who are affected by various disabilities. This week and beyond, we commit to making a difference to all who are historically underrepresented and underserved, and aim to recognize, include, and support them.
Regards,
Greg Keefe, DVM, MSc, MBA (he/him)
President and Vice-Chancellor
University of Prince Edward Island
Adam MacKenzie (he/him)
President
UPEI Student Union
