[United States Statutes at Large, Volume 128, 113th Congress, 2nd Session]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

 
PROCLAMATION 9217--DEC. 2, 2014

Proclamation 9217 of December 2, 2014

International Day of Persons With Disabilities, 2014

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

Each year, the United States joins with the international community to
celebrate the inherent dignity and worth of every person. In America and
in countries around the world, individuals with disabilities support
families, strengthen their communities, and contribute to the global
economy. On International Day of Persons with Disabilities, we reaffirm
the fundamental principle that those with disabilities are entitled to
the same rights and freedoms as everyone else: to belong and fully
participate in society, to live with respect and free from
discrimination, and to make of their lives what they will.
Nearly a quarter century ago, the Congress came together to pass the
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), a landmark civil rights bill and
a historic milestone in our journey toward a more perfect Union. The
first Nation on earth to comprehensively declare equality for its
citizens with disabilities, we enshrined into law the promise of equal
access, equal opportunity, and equal respect for every American. The ADA
was a formal acknowledgement that individuals with disabilities deserve
to live full and independent lives the way they choose, and

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today, my Administration continues to fight to give every person a fair
shot at realizing their greatest potential. We are working to rigorously
enforce the protections against disability-based discrimination and
expand workforce training and employment opportunities for people with
disabilities, including our wounded warriors and those with serious
disabilities. Today's theme, ``Sustainable Development: The promise of
technology,'' reminds us that as we strive to increase accessibility in
our communities, we cannot allow the benefits of groundbreaking
innovation to be out of reach for those who seek to participate fully in
our democracy and economy.
Disability rights are not only civil rights to be enforced here at home;
they are universal rights to be recognized and promoted around the
globe. That is why I am proud that during my time in Office, the United
States signed the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities,
and why I continue to call on the Senate to provide its advice and
consent to the ratification of what is the first new human rights
convention of the 21st century. Around the world, more than 1 billion
people experience a disability. These women, men, and children seek a
fair chance to complete an education, succeed in a career, and support a
family--and the United States stands with them wherever they live.
America continues to be the world leader on disability rights. Today, we
celebrate the courage and commitment of all who have agitated and
sacrificed to bring us to this point, and all who continue to press
ahead toward greater access, opportunity, and inclusion. With advocates
from around the world and all those whose lives have been touched by a
disability, we can build on our progress. Let us recommit to fostering a
society free of barriers and full of a deeper understanding of the value
each person adds to our global community.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of
America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and
the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim December 3, 2014, as
International Day of Persons with Disabilities. I call on all Americans
to observe this day with appropriate ceremonies, activities, and
programs.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this second day of
December, in the year of our Lord two thousand fourteen, and of the
Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-
ninth.
BARACK OBAMA