World Down Syndrome Day 2018

World Down Syndrome Day (WDSD), 21 March is a global awareness day which has been officially observed by the United Nations since 2012.

Down Syndrome International (DSi) encourages our friends all over the world to choose their own activities and events on WDSD to help raise awareness of what Down syndrome is, what it means to have Down syndrome and how people with Down syndrome play a vital role in our lives and communities.

For this purpose, DSi created a dedicated website as a single meeting place where the global community can share their experiences and advertise their activities. People can also participate in DSI’s WDSD initiatives, including the WDSD Call To Action, the WDSD Global Video Event, the WDSD Conference at UN Headquarters, New York, the WDSD event at UN Geneva and the LOTS OF SOCKS campaign and the WDSD Awards. 

This day sets out to encourage everyone to create a single global voice for advocating for the rights, inclusion and well being of people with Down syndrome on 21 March. Each year the voice of people with Down syndrome, and those who live and work with them, grows louder.

WDSD was first observed in 2006 in many countries around the world and Down Syndrome Association Singapore launched and hosted the WDSD website from 2006-2010, on behalf of DSi, for global activities to be recorded.

On 19 December 2011, the United Nations General Assembly declared 21 March as World Down Syndrome Day. The General Assembly decided to "designate 21 March as World Down Syndrome Day, to be observed every year beginning in 2012" and "invites all Member States, relevant organizations of the United Nations system and other international organizations, as well as civil society, including non-governmental organizations and the private sector, to observe World Down Syndrome Day in an appropriate manner, in order to raise public awareness of Down syndrome".