International Day of People with Disabilities: Things to know about 'WeThe15': Key dates, messages, and how to get involved

The decade-long campaign WeThe15 is seen as a key milestone in supporting the 1.2 billion people in the world with a disability,

Launched on 19th August 2021, ahead of the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, it began with global landmarks being lit purple, and continues to be at the forefront during the U.N.-sanctioned International Day of People with Disabilities on 3rd December.

People with disabilities make up 15% of the planet's population and WeThe15 aims to represent them in what they hope to be the ‘biggest ever’ human rights movement, and end discrimination against those with an impairment.

What are the key messages of WeThe15?

• Persons with disabilities are 15% of our world – they are part of human diversity.
• WeThe15 aspires to be the biggest ever human rights movement, to represent and transform the lives of the world’s 1.2 billion persons with disabilities.
• WeThe15 will put disability right at the heart of the inclusion agenda, alongside ethnicity, gender, and sexual orientation.
• Over the next decade, WeThe15 aims to end discrimination towards persons with disabilities and act as a global movement publicly campaigning for disability visibility, accessibility, and inclusion.
• WeThe15 brings together the biggest coalition ever in international organisations from the worlds of sport, human rights, policy, business, arts, and entertainment.
• The WeThe15 organisations will work with governments, businesses, and the public over the next decade to initiate change for the world’s largest marginalised group, who make up 15% of the global population.
• Everyone can play a part in creating change.

WeThe15: Raising awareness

The campaign aims to raise awareness, change attitudes, create more opportunities, and improve accessibility.

And it begins with putting persons with disabilities at the heart of the diversity and inclusion agenda.

WeThe15 plans to implement a range of activities across the next decade that will drive social inclusion for persons with disabilities.

It also wants to break down societal and systemic barriers that could be prevent those within the disabled community from fulfilling their potential and being active members of society.

In doing so, it will help to ensure greater awareness, visibility and representation of persons with disabilities.

Key dates for the WeThe15 campaign

19 August 2021

WeThe15 launched at 07:00 JST, with the campaign film, social media content, symbol, and the hashtag #WeThe15 all being shared across channels by supporters of the movement.

And over 125 landmarks across the world, including Tokyo Skytree, The London Eye, and the Rome Colosseum, were lit purple in support of the campaign.

24 August 2021

The Opening Ceremony of the Paralympics, including a segment dedicated to WeThe15.

IPC President, Andrews Parsons, introduced the campaign film to a global audience of 250 million people watching the event.

24 August – 5 September

Throughout these two weeks, the 2020 Paralympics games will take place in Tokyo, one year after they were initially due to happen.

WeThe15 will use this time to continue to grow the movement online by having spectators, Paralympians and more engage with it.

5 September

This date will mark the Closing Ceremony of the Paralympic Games in Tokyo.

Once again, there will be a dedicated segment to the campaign that will include a video message of support from international leaders involved in WeThe15.

6 September & After

Post-Paralympics will make the start of this 10-year programme, aiming to incite real change.

Content will continue to be shared across the social media channels of the campaign, @WeThe15.

3 December

International Day of People With Disabilities

Who is involved in WeThe15

Multiple organisations, including the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), and others from the worlds of sport, human rights, policy, business, arts, and entertainment are collaborating together.

It's being described as the biggest-ever coalition of organisations, and you can get involved too.

How you can get involved and support WeThe15

To support the WeThe15 campaign, you can do something as little as sharing content.

From education resources to interviews with the people behind it, WeThe15 will be sharing them across Twitter and Instagram, @WeThe15, as well as on Facebook across the Paralympics page.

You can also visit www.wethe15.org for more information on the campaign, and discover how we can help to transform society.