On the 20th, Gyeonggi Province Governor Kim Dong-yeon marked "Disability Day" by stating on his social networking service (SNS), "Today is the day to eliminate discrimination against people with disabilities," and added, "We will create a world full of opportunities for everyone, a world where dreams can come true."
Earlier, on the 18th, Governor Kim attended the ‘44th Disability Day’ event held at the Gyeonggi Comprehensive Labor Welfare Center, where he announced a five-year plan for disability policies and promised to implement the Disability Human Rights Charter, which prioritizes people with disabilities from the planning stage of policies.
On that day, Governor Kim emphasized the meaning of eliminating discrimination by citing Jackie Robinson, the first African American professional baseball player in the United States.
He said, "Jackie Robinson was not the best player in American professional baseball, but because he holds symbolic meaning for the elimination of discrimination, American professional baseball commemorates April 15, the day he first played," and added, "In our society, discrimination against people with disabilities and those without disabilities, as well as discrimination against the less privileged and those with less power, is rampant. It is meaningful to designate a Disability Care Week on a day when discrimination is prohibited."
He continued, "The five-year plan for people with disabilities announced today will serve as a major guideline and direction for Gyeonggi Province’s disability policies, so it is significant," and added, "Going forward, we will govern Gyeonggi Province in accordance with the 13th and final article of the Disability Human Rights Charter."
The final article of the Disability Human Rights Charter states that "the special needs of people with disabilities must be prioritized from the planning stage of national policies, and people with disabilities and their families have the right to participate in policy decisions for welfare promotion through democratic procedures."
Meanwhile, Gyeonggi Province designated the period from the 15th to the 20th of this month as ‘360-degree Disability Care Week’ and conducted events such as the proclamation of the five-year disability policy plan, a ceremony commemorating Disability Day, and inviting people with disabilities to watch a disability-themed play.
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