Work in Parliament Letter to President Sassoli about the Partnership of the European Parliament in the #WeThe15 campaign

Letter to Mr David Maria Sassoli
President of the European Parliament

Brussels, 31st August 2021

SUBJECT: Partnership of the European Parliament in the #WeThe15 campaign

Following the 2020 Summer Olympic Games, Tokyo currently hosts the 2020 Summer Paralympics that bring together more than 4500 athletes from 163 countries competing in 22 sports. The 539 events that will take place until 5th September will shine a light on astonishing amount of talent and hard work, excellence and determination, which too often remain invisible due to the persistent discrimination experienced by more than 1.2 billion persons with disabilities around the world. Unfortunately, the Covid-19 pandemic has disproportionally affected persons with disabilities and has further impeded the progress in the implementation of their rights and social inclusion.

The persistence of discrimination that stands in the way of inclusive society and the recent setbacks are the main drivers of the #WeThe15 movement that has been officially launched at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics. This global campaign represents 1.2 billion persons with disabilities (15% of the world’s population), including 87 million persons with disabilities in the EU. The goal of the movement is to forge a global partnership for disability visibility, inclusion and accessibility for the next decade, resulting in a visible and active membership of persons with disabilities in an inclusive society.

We, the undersigned Members of the European Parliament, firmly believe that the European Parliament, as a strong advocate of human rights of persons with disabilities and nondiscrimination, should step up its efforts in guaranteeing rights and inclusion of persons with disabilities in the EU and at the global level. The goals and the objectives of the #WeThe15 campaign are fully aligned with the recent resolutions of the European Parliament and with the fundamental values of our Union.

We therefore call on you, Honourable President, to take all the necessary steps for the formal partnership of the European Parliament in the #WeThe15 global campaign. Such a partnership is a responsibility deriving from the democratic representation of millions of persons with disabilities living in the EU, as well as the necessary commitment to adopt policies and measures that support equal treatment of persons with disabilities in an inclusive society.

Sincerely,

Milan Brglez, MEP (S&D)
Dietmar Köster, MEP (S&D)
Tanja Fajon, MEP (S&D)
Brando Benifei, MEP (S&D)
Sylwia Spurek, MEP (Greens/EFA)
Romana Jerković, MEP (S&D)
Alex Agius Saliba, MEP (S&D)
Olivier Chastel, MEP (Renew)
Jordi Cañas, MEP (Renew)
Estrella Dura Ferrandis, MEP (S&D)
Carlos Zorrinho, MEP (S&D)
Irena Joveva, MEP (Renew)
Marie Toussaint, MEP (Greens/EFA)
Riho Terras, MEP (EPP)
Fabio Massimo Castaldo, MEP (NI)
Dimitrios Papadimoulis, MEP (The Left)
Elisabetta Gualmini, MEP (S&D)
Biljana Borzan, MEP (S&D)
Chiara Gemma, MEP (NI)
Hannes Heide, MEP (S&D)
Mounir Satouri, MEP (Greens/EFA)
Monika Beňová, MEP (S&D)
Saskia Bricmont, MEP (Greens/EFA)
Hilde Vautmans, MEP (Renew)
Jens Geier, MEP (S&D)
Radka Maxová, MEP (S&D)
Anne-Sophie Pelletier, MEP (The Left)
Eleonora Evi, MEP (Greens/EFA)
Franc Bogovič, MEP (EPP)
Michal Wiezik, MEP (EPP)
Rosa D’Amato, MEP (Greens/EFA)
Tiziana Beghin, MEP (NI)
Giorgios Georgiou, MEP (The Left)
Isabel Carvalhais, MEP (S&D)
Thijs Reuten, MEP (S&D)
Maria da Graça Carvalho, MEP (EPP)
Robert Hajšel, MEP (S&D)
Ádám Kósa, MEP (NI)
Dita Charanzová, MEP (Renew)
María Soraya Rodríguez Ramos, MEP (Renew)
Daniela Rondinelli, MEP (NI)
Agnes Jongerius, MEP (S&D)
Izaskun Bilbao Barandica, MEP (Renew)
Kim Van Sparrentak, MEP (Greens/EFA)
Josianne Cutajar, MEP (S&D)
Jarosław Duda, MEP (EPP)
Krzysztof Hetman, MEP (EPP)
François Alfonsi, MEP (Greens/EFA)
Benoît Biteau, MEP (Greens/EFA)
Damien Carême, MEP (Greens/EFA)
David Cormand, MEP (Greens/EFA)
Gwendoline Delbos-Corfield, MEP (Greens/EFA)
Karima Delli, MEP (Greens/EFA)
Yannick Jadot, MEP (Greens/EFA)
Claude Gruffat, MEP (Greens/EFA)
Michèle Rivasi, MEP (Greens/EFA)
Caroline Roose, MEP (Greens/EFA)
Salima Yenbou, MEP (Greens/EFA)
David Lega, MEP (EPP)
Aurore Lalucq, MEP (S&D)
Marc Angel, MEP (S&D)
Miriam Lexmann, MEP (EPP)
Klára Dobrev, MEP (S&D)
Gabriele Bischoff, MEP (S&D)
Alícia Homs Ginel, MEP (S&D)
Klemen Grošelj, MEP (Renew)
Marianne Vind, MEP (S&D)
Chrysoula Zacharopoulou, MEP (Renew)
Alexis Georgoulis, MEP (The Left)
Pedro Marques, MEP (S&D)
Lina Gálvez Muñoz, MEP (S&D)
Ciarán Cuffe, MEP (Greens/EFA)
Stelios Kympouropoulos, MEP (EPP)
Cyrus Engerer, MEP (S&D