The Dubai Police General Command, represented by the People of Determination Empowerment Council, and in cooperation with the Emirates Down Syndrome Society, organized the first gathering of the “Self-Advocacy Team for People with Down Syndrome” in the country this year.
The gathering was organized at the Police Officers Club, with the participation of 30 self-advocates and 15 facilitators, in which the participants reviewed their current projects, their achievements, and their future ambitions.
Major Abdullah Al Shamsi, Chairman of the People of Determination Empowerment Council at Dubai Police, confirmed that this gathering supports achieving the goals of both sides in uniting joint efforts and empowering people of determination in society, especially those with Down Syndrome, and helping them achieve their ambitions in work and learning. .
For her part, Dr. Manal Jaroor, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Emirates Down Syndrome Society, extended her sincere thanks to the Dubai Police General Command, represented by the People of Determination Empowerment Council, for their valuable and proactive initiatives in serving people of determination and providing support to them.
Jarour said: The first self-advocacy program at the state level for people with Down syndrome continues to achieve the goals for which it was established, which is to highlight the voice of people of determination with Down syndrome, and enable them to express themselves and their needs. She noted that the program, which began in 2019 in cooperation with… Down Syndrome International (DSI) in the United Kingdom aimed to train (20) facilitators from various specializations related to people of determination, representing governmental and private entities and centers and parents from all emirates of the country, to train (35) self-advocates with Down syndrome.
Self-advocacy is one of the most important topics presented at the World Down Syndrome Congress Dubai 2021, which the country won to host for the first time in the Middle East and North Africa.
Nawal Al Nasser, Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Emirates Down Syndrome Society, praised all the facilitators and participants in the program from various entities and institutions, who showed great commitment and clear interaction to achieve the goals of the program since its inception.
Salma Kanaan, Executive Director and Head of the Self-Advocacy Program for People with Down Syndrome, said that the third stage holds a lot, enabling advocates to express themselves, talk confidently about their dreams and ambitions, and obtain support for their rights to employment, education, health, and integration.
Majed Al-Sheikh, General Coordinator of the People of Determination Empowerment Council, conducted individual dialogues with a number of people of determination with Down Syndrome, regarding their talents, skills and future ambitions.
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