Dec. 3 is the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, celebrating the accomplishments and contributions of persons with disabilities and members of accessibility and disability communities to advocacy and accessibility, inclusion and equity.

This year’s theme is Amplifying the Leadership of Persons with Disabilities for an Inclusive and Sustainable Future.

The university community recognizes the contributions of persons with disabilities at McMaster who have taken on a leadership role — whether as a student leader, an employee supervisor or faculty member.

“The contributions, skill set and perspectives of leaders with disabilities are extremely valuable for ensuring well-rounded decision making, innovative thinking and problem-solving which can lead to more diverse and sustainable outcomes at McMaster,” says Barrington Walker, vice-provost (Equity and Inclusion) and chair of the McMaster Accessibility Advisory Council.

“The McMaster community can stimulate and advance inclusion by investing in persons with disabilities and support their leadership trajectories.”

Walker and the advisory council also recognize the contributions of McMaster’s community members and departments for providing area-specific and strategic leadership to continue to make McMaster a more disability inclusive and accessible campus.

Find more information in the latest Accessibility and Disability Inclusion Update, which has information on many and diverse initiatives taking place across campus.

McMaster’s Accessibility Advisory Council, comprising leaders from across the university, has continuously guided the implementation and ensured McMaster’s compliance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA).

To commemorate Dec. 3, university and community partners are organizing events across campus over several days, starting this week and going into the start of December.

These events will contribute to creating disability-inclusive spaces and dialogues, while reflecting on and upholding the university’s commitment to creating a more inclusive and accessible campus.

Please visit the Accessibility Hub’s events page to learn more and to register for events.