It’s the festive season once again!!!!!!!

And its that time of the year when we are all set to celebrate, what a disability activist once said, “our Diwali, Christmas, Id & Holi….. all combined into one!”

This year, as all of you know, the World Disability Day holds a special significance. 2007  has unleashed the beginning of a completely new era for all of us with India ratifying the U.N. Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

And honestly, we could not think of anything better than the following theme for this year - “Celebrating UNCRPD – Ek Nayi Umang”. The ratification of the UNCRPD has brought with it a new ray of hope amongst the 60 million disabled people across the country. Umang, i.e. hope for – Wider Access, Quality Education and Better Employment Opportunities.

As you all know, NCPEDP has been celebrating World Disability Day for ten successive years with the aim of making this one day a memorable and special day for all disabled people and their supporters. Since 1997, NCPEDP has organised high profile events at India Gate, in New Delhi, which have been consistently successful, with thousands of participants each year.

Like the last 10 years, this year also we are organising a mega event at India Gate at 10am on Monday, 3^rd December, 2007. We are sure that those of you who have witnessed this in the past, will agree that it is an event that is worth attending year after year. Others must have read about it in the National dailies, DNIS or heard about it from other sources, that this event is one of its kind. It is like a carnival for not just the disabled but also the non-disabled, with a whole lot of cultural events in front of the historical grandeur.

It would be marvellous if senior disability organisations mobilised in large numbers to make the event a grand celebration. The disability movement of India will have a great impact on the implementation of the UNCRPD, as we show our solidarity and strength at this mega event in the heart of the capital city.