Shillong, Dec 3: The International Day of Persons with Disabilities was observed at the U Soso Tham Auditorium today, under the theme “Amplifying the Leadership of Persons with Disabilities for an Inclusive and Sustainable Future”.
The event, EmpowerFest 2.0, saw participation from stakeholders across the state and was highlighted by the distribution of adaptive chairs for children with cerebral palsy.
In a gesture emphasising the need for accessibility and comfort for differently-abled individuals, the Chief Guest, Governor C.H. Vijayashankar, along with Minister for Social Welfare, Paul Lyngdoh, handed over the specially designed chairs to beneficiaries. The adaptive seating initiative was introduced as a collaborative effort between the Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities, Meghalaya Skill Development Society, and the State Resource Centre on Disability Affairs.
Interestingly, the chairs were made by carpenters from across the state, who also are people with disabilities.
Each chair was tailor made for the kids to suit their different needs.
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The event also saw the launch of Meghalaya Sign-Lex, a platform aimed at bridging communication gaps for the hearing and speech-impaired community.
Eastern brook, the band with all specially abled members also performed the Meghalaya Disability Anthem, that was launched today and following the performance the governor also appreciated and interacted with them.
