On 30 November-1 December 2023, Kevin Quaid (Vice-Chair of the EWGPWD) and his wife Helena attended the European Day of Persons with Disability, together with Daphné Lamirel (Public Involvement Officer at Alzheimer Europe). The event brought together over 400 disability advocates and experts from all around Europe and was organised by the European Commission and the European Disability Forum. Several experts as well as people with disabilities were invited to present on various topics, and attendees had the opportunity to ask questions and make comments at the end of each panel discussion.
The first part of the event focused on the topic of the right of people with disabilities to vote and to stand for elections. Secondly, as 2023 marks the European Year of Skills, the event also focused on exploring how to support the inclusion of persons with disabilities in the labour market. The final part of the event consisted of presentations about the current progress made by the EU Strategy for the rights of persons with disabilities. Discussions centred around what has been achieved in the last 3 years and what remains to be done to achieve a Union of equality where persons with disabilities can fully enjoy their rights.
