Disability Advocacy Sunday 2022

Dear ecumenical collogues,

Greetings from NCCI-IDEA!

At the outset, we would like to thank all the churches and organisations for the encouragement and appreciation that we have received from you till date. This year also, we are observing Disability Advocacy Sunday 2022 on 27^th November 2022 (or 04^th December at your convenience). The theme taken is Invisible Disability: Illuminating the Potential of Invisible Community. As the name suggests, invisible disability is not easy to identify, but we need to understand that there are many such disabilities and conditions. Invisible disability could be physical, mental, or neurological condition that could restrict any individual in accomplishing their day-to-day goals of their movements, senses, or activities substantially and permanently but is completely invisible to others. The ultimate aim is LIT to L (Learn about invisible disabilities and identify them) I (Initiate appropriate help to reach the full potential) T (Terminate/ Stop shaming people on the basis of disability) and sensitize the society to understand the situation at a greater level. Some liturgical elements (which is also available in 11 regional languages) and a reflection is attached along with this mail which we encourage you to use in your churches on the Disability Advocacy Sunday.

We also recommend you all to observe the Disability Advocacy Week by requesting the Persons with Disabilities in each context to re-vision themselves from the disability perspective and recognise the individuals with invisible disabilities. We have the responsibility to develop an empathetic nature in order to be aware of the hardships of our brothers and sisters who have physical, mental or neurological disabilities, regardless of their visibility. Dyslexia, panic attacks, depression, mental trauma, nervous breakdown, psychological disturbances are some areas we do not talk about much, these are sometimes reasons for disabilities which we need to accept and recognise. The stigma and shame associated with these should be stopped.

We are sending you some Liturgical elements to be included into your worship service. please visit our page https://ncci1914.com/downloads/ for Disability Advocacy Sunday Liturgical Elements (pdf. file in English also translated into Bengali, Hindi, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Mizo, Nagamese, Odia, Punjabi, Tamil and Telugu) which you may circulate among your pastors, lay leaders and department heads.

Looking forward to your cooperation in observing Disability Advocacy Sunday on November 27, 2022 or December 4, 2022.

Thanking you in anticipation,

Ms. Sneha Achu Varghese 
Programme Executive
NCCI – IDEA

Rev. Dn. Ribin John
Executive Secretary
NCCI Ecumenical Fora
Indian Disability Ecumenical Accompaniment (IDEA)
National Council of Churches in India
Post Box 205, Civil Lines,
Nagpur, Maharashtra, India – 440001
Email: idea@ncci1914.com / Phone: 9947890245/8907361346