What is World Down Syndrome Day?

A new campaign has launched with a conversation changing initiative called #NotSpecialNeeds.

The campaign comes along with a film to spotlight the paradox in the term, ‘special needs.’

Martina Fuga, who is with Coordown, Italy’s National Organization for People with Down syndrome, will speak at the United Nations.

The conference, #MyVoiceMyCommunity enables people with Down syndrome to speak up, be heard, and influence government policy and action, and to be fully included in the community.

The goal is to explain why it is important for people with Down syndrome and advocates to speak up locally, nationally, and internationally, as well as explain what the key policies are which affect the lives of people with Down syndrome and how they can ensure full society inclusion, if implemented.

Two of the film’s cast members, Sam Suchmann and Mattie Zufelt, spoke on Good Day New York and explained that people with Down syndrome are ‘not special’ and that they want to be treated normally. “These needs are not special, they’re just needs,” said Suchmann.

 “We want what everyone else wants,” said Mattie Zufelt.

“They have needs like everyone else- some with assistance, but they need everyday things- work and education,” she said, “they can speak for themselves.”