Global Disability Summit 2025
We spoke up at the Global Disability Summit (GDS) from 2-3 April 2025 in Berlin.
Our team at the Global Disability Summit:
Members of the Down Syndrome International Network attended the GDS to speak up about disability inclusion.
We were pleased to have 3 self-advocates representing Down Syndrome International at the event.
Janet, our Ambassador for Canada, Morgan, our Ambassador for Indonesia, and Emma, our Advocacy and Inclusion Officer.
Watch the summit.
You can watch recordings from the Global Disability Summit on the dedicated YouTube channel by clicking the GDS on YouTube button below.
What is the Global Disability Summit?
The GDS is an event that asks countries around the world to do more to include people with disabilities.
The event happens every 3 years, bringing together many different people, organisations and governments from countries around the world.
Most importantly, it brings together people with disabilities and organisations led by them with governments and other organisations.
At the GDS, countries have the chance to:
• Learn about including people with disabilities in all parts of life.
• Meet organisations that are led by people with disabilities.
Pre-Global Disability Summit event on health equity for persons with disabilities.
The World Health Organization (WHO), the International Disability Alliance (IDA), the Global Disability Fund (formerly, the UNPRPD), and the International Disability and Development Consortium (IDDC) co-hosted an event on Health equity for persons with disabilities under the auspices of the Global Disability Summit 2025.
This event aimed to plan clear actions to make health systems more inclusive and promote health equity for people with disabilities.
Pearl, our Ambassador for Switzerland, spoke at the meeting about her experience of the healthcare system and the work we are doing to achieve health equity for people with Down syndrome and intellectual disabilities.
An easy-to-read explainer.
The International Disability Alliance has made an easy-to-read booklet about this event:
Learn more about our international advocacy work:
International Advocacy
We know our network will make a bigger positive change if we all speak up for human rights together.
We bring our network together to work on shared goals with shared messages.