International Day of Persons with Disabilities celebrated in Matara

The National General Secretariat for Persons with differently abled under the Ministry of Rural Development, Social Protection and Community Empowerment organised a national programme on December 03, in conjunction with and to celebrate the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, attracting local and foreign tourists alike. It was held at – Polhena Beach in Matara.

Here, people with different disabilities such as hearing and speech deficiency, mental retardation, visual impairment and movement disorders can participate in entertainment programmes and various competitions such as beach volleyball. A stage was built with access facilities for the disabled community and the presentations of children with various disabilities were so emotionally charged that the participants were moved, making it extra special.

The main objective of this year’s National Day celebration programme was to improve the leadership qualities of people with disabilities in Sri Lanka and to encourage people with disabilities from all over the world to visit Sri Lanka. It also aimed to set a precedent for the development of barrier-free accessible infrastructure for the disabled community.

A mobile toilet was built with the help of the Army for the disabled people who used wheelchairs who participated in this programme.

The United Nations General Assembly has declared the annual observance of December 03 as the International Day of Persons with Disabilities. The purpose of celebrating these days is to promote awareness of disability and support the dignity, rights and well-being of persons with disabilities. Paying special attention to this is the reason for deciding this day.

The goal is to create connections between the knowledge, skills, and workplaces required for employment and employment in the rapidly changing technology and landscape of disability. Disability innovation to reduce disability, promoting workplace diversity, innovation, practical tools and good practices to reduce disparities in the public and private sectors have been shown to be critical.

This programme was conducted in an aesthetic manner to make the persons with disabilities happy and encouraged, and for this, more than 400 persons with disabilities representing various districts of the island, Secretary of the Ministry of Rural Development, Social Protection and Community Empowerment, Government officials of the institutions belonging to the Ministry, Matara District Secretary Ganesha Amarasinghe, government officials from the Matara District Secretariat and other institutions, representatives of private institutions, tourist hotel owners, principals and teachers of schools, journalists, parents or guardians of persons with disabilities, hospital staff, members of the security forces and others participated.

The support of various public and private institutions and voluntary organisations had been obtained for this national programme. Accordingly, the public institutions of Matara District, Matara Municipal Council, Kadawat Satara Regional Secretariat, National Water Supply and Drainage Board, District General Hospital, Sri Lanka Police, Mapalana Army Camp, Fort Volunteer Force, Relief Skills Institute, Women’s Aid Institute, Rohana Special School, Olcott College, Tourism, and many organisations including hotel owners in Matara had contributed to this.

This programme was coordinated by the Social Services Division of the Matara District Secretariat.

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