President: People with Disabilities Have Equal Rights and Have Much to Teach Us

Bratislava, 17 September (TASR) - People with disabilities are equal citizens, let's see them as people who have something to offer us and something to teach us, as they are a contribution and a great enrichment for us, said President Peter Pellegrini when addressing the participants in a conference held on Wednesday to mark the 15th anniversary of the ratification of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The president noted that these people have their own interests, opinions and needs, but also potential. "We as a country have committed ourselves to treating people with disabilities as equals, to removing the barriers that separate them from society: physical, social and psychological," stated Pellegrini. The commitment, which is the essence of the ratified convention, entails specific tasks for the state and society, said the president. This primarily concerns sufficient material and financial support, addressed not only to disadvantaged citizens, but also to the people who care for and help them, i.e. nurses, social workers and nursing service providers. The president therefore emphasised that the state, the professional and academic community and the NGO sector must pull together. Pellegrini in his speech also thanked everyone who helps people with disabilities, wishing them a great deal of energy and optimism. ko/df