Soon the World Humanitarian Summit will take place in Istanbul, Turkey. In this historic meeting, world leaders are supposed to discuss the crisis facing humanity today. DPI believes that this Summit comes at the right time, when the world is facing major challenges and threats.
Events in different regions of the world give clear indications that humanity is facing a major challenge in its endeavour to achieve a just, compassionate and human-rights-based global civilisation. Extremism and the culture of closed identity — refusing the different other — are gaining ground, turning the world from a global society based on open communication and cooperation into a closed system of religious, racial and ethnic divisions built on hatred and antagonism.
At a time when major achievements have been registered — States agreeing the Sustainable Development Goals 2015–2030 and signing the Paris Climate Accord — global conflict has cost the world more than a trillion dollars; half of that would be enough to alleviate poverty and make the world less polluted and endangered.
As the largest grassroots global network of persons with disabilities, Disabled Peoples’ International:
- Calls on all leaders meeting in Istanbul to assume their global responsibility to meet the challenges facing humanity — human disaster, inequality, violence, pollution, marginalisation and injustice.
- Appeals to all leaders to concentrate resources on fighting humanity’s common enemies: intolerance, discrimination, pollution, disease, illiteracy, ignorance and poverty.
- Asks world leaders to address the need for new employment opportunities and to invest in accessible technological solutions instead of new weapons.
- Demands the promotion of a culture of tolerance and respect for the right of every human being to freedom, dignity and a decent life, regardless of gender, race, religion, belief, colour or ability.
Let us shout loudly: enough is enough! Let us turn the downward trend into hope and aspiration for a better future for all.
