Disability Pride onlus and the Anmil Foundation "Sosteniamoli subito" have announced a demonstration for Sunday, July 15 in Piazza del Popolo in Rome, featuring a procession and closing with a concert. Expected attendees include Rome's Mayor Virginia Raggi and Minister for Family and Disability Lorenzo Fontana.
To demand, with pride, the right to equal opportunity as non-disabled people. That is one of the central aims of "Disability Pride Italia" 2018, dedicated to people with disabilities. The demonstration set for Sunday, July 15 in Rome's Piazza del Popolo promises to be extraordinary. It was announced on July 9 at City Hall and made possible through the patronage and support of Rome's municipal government.
The initiative, organized by "Disability Pride Onlus" in partnership with the Anmil Foundation (National Association of Work-Injured and Disabled Workers) "Sosteniamoli subito" and backed by countless disability organizations and groups committed to social justice, has also received patronage from the European Parliament, Anci (National Association of Italian Municipalities), and the British Embassy. The concert, performed on a stage in Piazza del Popolo, will feature numerous artists who have chosen to support the initiative for its ethical and social significance.
Rome's Mayor Virginia Raggi opened the press conference, expressing the city's solidarity with the demonstration and her administration's commitment to prioritizing disability-related issues. "Rome has done very little on this issue," Raggi said. "We are beginning to think universally about the priorities we need to address. Our principle is that no one should be excluded. But on disability, that would mean jumping from zero to one hundred overnight—an impossible task. So we must proceed step by step." She added: "People with disabilities must have priority in municipal registry services. There is no national law requiring it, but we have decided that people with disabilities will also get priority for the new electronic ID cards—immediately." Raggi, together with Disability Manager Andrea Venuto, confirmed her participation in the march itself, which will begin at 5:30 p.m. with a gathering in Piazza Venezia, specifically in Piazza Madonna di Loreto. The procession will bring together people with disabilities, their families, friends, and citizens who want to show their support for true social inclusion. Starting around 6 p.m., the march will be led by a brass band and will proceed down Via del Corso to Piazza del Popolo. Along the way, passages from the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities—signed by Italy but largely unimplemented—will be read aloud.
From the stage in Piazza del Popolo, artists will begin performing from 7 p.m. onward to draw attention to the event and welcome the arriving marchers. The concert, broadcast live by RadioItaliaAnni 60, will continue until 11:30 p.m. The program will also include remarks from government officials (Mayor Raggi and Minister Fontana are expected to attend), organizers, and moving personal testimonies that will add emotional weight and meaning to the day.
«Disability Pride aims to raise public awareness about the issues facing people with disabilities and to engage all sectors of society—individuals, associations, and differently organized groups who believe in the value of diversity and who want to march with us to reclaim inclusion,» said Carmelo Comisi, president of Disability Pride onlus. «While celebrating the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities—the heart of this event—we must not forget that true inclusion requires more than implementation of the Convention. It demands a cultural shift. And that shift begins with ordinary people getting to know the world of disability in all its complexity.»
The organizers extended special thanks to all the artists who answered the call to help spread the message of Disability Pride Italia. The goal is to shine a light on the challenges facing people with disabilities—just as simultaneous demonstrations will do in New York and Brighton—and to create an accessible celebration that welcomes those who are far too often pushed to the margins.
The performing artists are (in alphabetical order): Danilo Amerio; Anonimo Italiano; Manuel Aspidi; Baraonna; BSocial; Vincenzo Capua; Claudio Carlucci; Marco Catania; Mimmo Cavallo; Lisa; Mani Bianche; Marco Martinelli; Simona Mieli; Milk & Coffee; Mariella Nava; Johnny Ponta; Renzo Rubino; Elisabetta Russo; Skuba Libre; Rocco Tanica; Paolo Vallesi; Edoardo Vianello. The concert is hosted by Stefano De Sando, Luce Tommasi, and Giada Di Miceli, with Maurizio Martinelli as artistic director.
Source: Vita