(Ataa volunteer team) celebrates World Downs Syndrome Day in Damascus

Each year on the 21st of March we celebrate World Downs Syndrome Day. People with Downs syndrome have an extra chromosome (they have 3 copies of chromosome 21 – hence 21/3, 21st March!)

(Ataa volunteer team) presented the “You are my friend” event under the patronage of Dr. Rama Zureik (Children’s Goodwill Ambassador) and a number of charities at the Sheraton Hotel in Damascus.

This event aims to shed light on children with Downs syndrome and their abilities, discover their talents and skills, and give them an opportunity to express their feelings, coinciding with the International Day of Downs Syndrome, which falls on March 21 annually. This event lasted for two days.

The event targeted 330 children from different associations, centers and schools, during which the Ataa volunteer team presented entertainment, musical and educational activities and paragraphs to show the abilities and talents of these children and to deal with them in the correct way.

The mother of the child, Aya, expressed her happiness at seeing her interacting with her peers with great confidence, which is a great support for her to continue forward in society and to consolidate her communication with all age groups.

Director of Ataa’s Volunteer Team, Hani Al-Asali, said to Syria Times:

“Our responsibility is to integrate these children into society and shed light on them because they are part of society.

The team prepared awareness and intellectual activities based on shapes, colors and children’s mental abilities, in addition to recreational activities. Such as music and singing rhythmic paragraphs that enhance their self-confidence and abilities, and provide them with psychological and social support. These events and activities achieve a great impact on the souls of those affected by the syndrome.

They need social and psychological support, which requires the cooperation of government, civil and community agencies.

We have many different initiatives with the participation of young volunteers who offer their experiences to spread the culture of volunteering and consolidate it in society”.

The Goodwill Ambassador for Children in Syria, Rama Zureik,said to  Syria Times:

“We attended this event in coordination with a number of charities and state institutions, in addition to the participation of some schools that have special classes for children with Down syndrome.

These children are kind and friendly and our responsibility is to support and encourage them in order to integrate them into society to become effective people.

These events contribute to unifying the efforts of the various associations which deal with Down children who have abilities that can be greatly benefited in society.

We have other activities in the month of Ramadan, and they will include Hama, Homs and Damascus to provide food baskets, stationery and gifts for children”.

At the conclusion of the event, gifts were distributed to the children who interacted with the activities and expressed their joy in this event. Society has to enable adults with Downs syndrome to live, work, with confidence and independence, fully included in society alongside their friends and peers. This will  empower  them to advocate for equal rights for people with Downs syndrome and reach a positive change.

Reported by Sanaa Hasan