IDPwD 2021: Celebrating Inclusion

The success of International Day of People with Disability (IDPwD) 2021 was due to the amazing effort and collaboration of communities, workplaces and schools around Australia.

Hundreds of events were held across the county to recognise the day – from morning teas to inclusive sporting games, festivals and online art exhibitions. People also joined the conversation online to share their stories and experiences of disability and help promote greater awareness and understanding in their community.

The 2021 UN theme for IDPwD was “Leadership and participation of persons with disabilities toward an inclusive, accessible and sustainable post-COVID-19 world”.

Among the activities this year, we shared the stories of people with disability through the IDPwD website and social media channels. We also worked with a range of partners to promote inclusion in our community, including:

  • Partnering with the ABC to support content makers, producers and presenters with disability to showcase their talents and share their stories across ABC websites, TV, radio, social media and iview.
  • Sponsoring Australia’s largest disability-specific film festival, the Focus on Ability Short Film Festival to support aspiring filmmakers with disability and create community awareness of disability issues through film.
  • Supporting the Australian of the Year Awards to recognise exceptional Australians with disability or within the disability sector, including working with Australian of the Year Alumni to share their video stories and promote IDPwD.
  • Collaborating with AFL Inclusion to promote diversity and participation in the game and the community more broadly. This includes developing a video series showcasing AFL Blind, AFL Wheelchair, AFL Inclusion and AFL Auskick.

IDPwD 2021 may have passed, but it is as important as ever to keep the conversation going.

You can help promote inclusion in your community all year round, and there are many ways to do so. This includes listening to and sharing the voices and experiences of people with disability to challenge perceptions and help break down barriers in your workplace, school and community.

You can also join the conversation online by following us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.