25 September 2013 - International singer and United Nations (UN) Messenger of Peace Stevie Wonder lauded a Philippines-led initiative that brought the world’s attention on the need "to break barriers and open doors" for the more than one billion disabled people around the world.
At a press conference following the first-ever High Level Meeting of the United Nations General Assembly on Disability and Development on September 23, celebrated blind singer Wonder paid tribute to all member states of the United Nations for making the historic event possible and expressed his “wish for a day when there would be technology available for the blind ... for every single blind person or persons with disabilities all over the world."
At the press conference, Philippine Permanent Representative to the United Nations Libran N. Cabactulan described the High Level Meeting as a “tremendous achievement of the international community to promote equal opportunities for persons with disabilities and ensure an inclusive development agenda.”
“This meeting helps ensure that no sector of society will be left behind, as the global community deliberates on the post-2015 development framework,” said Ambassador Cabactulan.
“We must all realize that development must be centered on the human person and must serve the needs of all, including the most vulnerable. This initiative and focus on Persons with Disabilities gives life to our aspirations of truly inclusive growth for the world’s peoples,” he further explained.
Recognized as a historic UN meeting "to break barriers and open doors" for disabled people around the world, the high level meeting, held at the level of heads of states and governments, highlighted the important role of persons with disabilities in contributing to overall social and economic development of societies.
The high level meeting stems from a Philippine initiative at the UN to mainstream disability in the Millennium Development Goals and other internationally-agreed development goals towards 2015 and beyond.
Ambassador Cabactulan, together with Spanish Permanent Representative to the United Nations Fernando Arias, facilitated negotiations for the high level meeting’s outcome document which is action oriented and aims to promote global disability inclusive development.
The outcome document is a product of extensive negotiations among member states and takes into account inputs from all stakeholders in a year-long preparation through online, national and regional consultations. END