On the afternoon of 30 September, the Green One UN House (Hanoi) hosted a Mid-Autumn Festival programme for children with disabilities called “I draw the future”, to raise public awareness of the rights of children with disabilities.
The programme “I draw the future” was organised by United Nations Volunteers in Vietnam (UN Volunteers) together with partners. The programme aims to raise public awareness of the rights of children with disabilities in their diverse bodies and of the importance of efforts to overcome disability barriers from families, society and the children themselves. At the same time, it aims to create a playground for children with disabilities and promote inclusion between children with disabilities and other children.
The event brought together 150 people, including children with mobility disabilities, deaf children, children with hearing impairments and autistic children, together with parents and teachers, who attended the programme along with the children of United Nations staff and volunteers. This was an opportunity for everyone to meet, integrate and learn more about diversity and the rights of children.
A parent from Thanh Tri (Hanoi) whose son Hoai Nam, 15, has an intellectual disability shared: My son has been ill since birth, and his mother died early. Out of love for him, I have tried in every way to make up for the disadvantages and losses that a sick child has to bear. When he reached school age, I met with a lot of opposition. They said that, being as ill as my son, he should just stay at home; even if he went to school it would make no difference, because he would not recognise letters and could not learn to write and read… Ignoring those unkind words, I still asked for my son to go to school, and now he can read and write…
To give my son the chance to meet others and learn, whenever there is an event for children with disabilities, I take him along. Today's “I draw the future” programme is very useful for less fortunate children like my son. I hope there will be more and more playgrounds for children with disabilities so that they have the chance to show their abilities and integrate into the community…
The message of the programme was conveyed through artistic and interactive activities performed by the children with disabilities themselves and the other children attending the event. In addition, participants had the chance to join in the painting “I draw the future” in a free style, as a closing message to remove disability barriers and help the children be confident, integrate and have the best opportunities to develop in the future.
The programme was organised in coordination with the Fly Art Art Center, X&Q, Foundation, Y-Peer Vietnam, the Albert Einstein Center and the Action for Community Development Center (ACDC).
CU HOA – http://baodansinh.vn