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Live music, dancing and a whole lot of fun will take place early next month to mark the Tweed's celebration of International Day of People with Disability (IDPwD).
Council is hosting the half day fair at Kingscliff Community Hall and the adjacent Rowan Robinson Park on Coodjinburra Country, from 9 am to 2 pm (NSW) on Saturday 3 December.
The event – which is free and open to all residents – is just one of thousands of events globally celebrating the diverse and vibrant nature of our communities. The fair also aims to start conversations at a local level that challenge perceptions and attitudes about living with disability.
On the day, live music from Lily Budiasa and a Spin It DJs set will set the scene while Sprung!! Integrated Dance Theatre will perform one of their dynamic live performances – and they will also be inviting people to join creative dance workshops.
The International Day of People with Disability event will begin with a traditional Welcome to Country by Bernie Williams at 9 am (NSW) and, to get everyone moving, fitness and dance group Connect and Captivate will follow with their all-inclusive movement classes.
There will be activities including a photo booth to capture the magic of the day and face and hand painting for those feeling extra festive.
Cudgen Headland Surf Life Saving Club will also be offering beach buggy rides along the foreshore, weather permitting.
Kingscliff Community Hall will have a chillout space. Here, visitors can view a pop-up Disability Pride Photovoice Project from Social Futures – a recently completed body of work representing the unique stories and perspectives of people living with disability in the Tweed.
IDPwD is a United Nations observed day and is celebrated every year on 3 December. It is a day to acknowledge the contributions and achievements of people with disability and to promote awareness, understanding and inclusion in our community.
The day is an opportunity for our community to make positive changes to the lives of 4.4 million Australians – and approximately 19,000 people within our own Tweed community – who experience some form of physical, sensory and/or cognitive disability.
This year's theme for the day is 'Transformative solutions for inclusive development: the role of innovation in fuelling an accessible and equitable world'.
Wendy Buckingham, member of the Tweed Equal Access Advisory Committee appointed to advise Council on community and organisational perspectives on access issues, said it was crucial to recognise the contribution of people living with disability in our community.
"People living with disability contribute and have such an important part to play in our community," Ms Buckingham said.
"This event is about recognising this and opening up a wider conversation about how our community can be even more inclusive for everybody."
An Auslan interpreter will be available on the day. All accessible and inclusive features of this event are available in accessible document formats, so people of all abilities can find out more and plan their day.
