What Can People with Down Syndrome Celebrate?

Going to school, playing sports, hanging out with friends, having a job, or living independently as an adult—these are things we usually take for granted. But there are many people out there who would give anything just to experience one of these things normally. Such as the ones with Down syndrome, who, sadly, are still denied some aspects of life we usually think of as ordinary and even boring. Such people are not considered equal because of inadequate governmental support, which allows this kind of continued discrimination to happen.

To shed some light on the unfair discrepancy and just in time for the World Down Syndrome Day (celebrated on March 21), advertising agency FCB Mexico put their minds together with CoorDown—an NGO that promotes the rights of people suffering from Down Syndrome—and SMALL New York and launched a global awareness campaign titled “Reasons to Celebrate,” which emphasizes how important it is for our society to respect the rights of all people. This year’s theme is “Leave No One Behind,” a concept that highlights inclusive education, open employment, community participation, independent living, and decision-making autonomy, which should all be guaranteed to everybody, even to those diagnosed with Down syndrome.

As visual support to the campaign, the Ciudad-de-México-based agency created a two-minute-long video, in which viewers are greeted by a person with Down syndrome mentioning a few United-Nations-declared days that are also celebrated on March 21. Days such as the World Day of Poetry, International Day of Nowruz—celebrating the arrival of Spring—and the International Day of Forests are part of the story and days to be remembered.

Yet, there’s one more day that’s so important for people living with this terrible condition: The World Down Syndrome Day. But when people mention this day, the joy and excitement present within the other events disappears. The protagonist who brings the matter forward simply states that, unlike the other three international days, “we do not have many reasons to celebrate.” He later continues that as long as one single person cannot be happy about the same opportunities to learn, work, and participate in life, “there is no reason to celebrate.”

“The campaign ‘Reasons to Celebrate’ aims at shaking people’s conscience and highlighting how far-off the objectives of full equal rights and opportunities are for all people with Down syndrome,” said Antonella Falugiani, President of CoorDown Onlus, in a press release.

This year’s theme refers to the goals of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for sustainable development—the global plan to promote wellbeing for all people on the planet, pledging that “no one will be left behind.” This means that all humankind, not only those with disabilities, will have their rights respected. Even though progress has been made over the course of the years, people with Down syndrome are still marginalized.

“I believe, overall, in diversity. I’ve experienced throughout my entire career how diversity makes for better ideas and better work environments, and therefore for a better society. I like to think about people with Down syndrome not as people with a certain condition, but as part of the diversity that represents all the possibilities of what it means to be human,” said Javier Campopiano, Partner and Chief Creative Officer at FCB Mexico.

The visual adventure was directed by Hungarian director Rudolf Péter Kiss and produced by Switzerland’s GOSH* in Budapest, and shot with actors from four different countries (UK, Albania, Switzerland, and Italy), behind which FCB Mexico and SMALL New York proudly stand. The campaign shall be internationally visible and has received the support of Down Syndrome Australia, Down Syndrome Association (UK), Down Syndrome Albania Foundation, and the Swiss associations Art21 Association Romande Trisomie 21 and Progetto Avventuno.

But it’s not only big NGOs that are supporting this campaign. You can also be part of the story by sharing the kind concept on social media platforms, using the #LeaveNoOneBehind, #WorldDownSyndromeDay, or #WDSD19 hashtags. Let everyone know that people with Down syndrome have the same rights as the rest of the world.