Speech by Vytenis ANDRIUKAITIS, Member of the EC in charge of Health and Food Safety, and Antonio TAJANI, EP President. on the occasion of the World Down Syndrome Day, in the EP in Brussels. Statements

Brussels

TAJANI, Antonio (EPP, IT)

European Parliament of Persons with Disabilities (T)

speech

ANDRIUKAITIS, Vytenis (LT, EC)

fight against discrimination on the basis of disability (T)

World Down Syndrome Day: opening speech by Antonio TAJANI, EP President

https://api.multimedia.europarl.europa.eu/documents/20125/20320632/I152991Chapters%5BSD-EN%5D.srt

Atmosphere before the opening of the exchange, 4 shots

SOUNDBITE (English), Vytenis ANDRIUKAITIS, Member of the EC in charge of Health and Food Safety, I&rsquo;m very pleased to see focus on coordinating our research efforts across different disabilities and illnesses, I believe that we need a more comprehensive, inclusive and effective response to disability and our discussion like the one we have today should help us.

SOUNDBITE (English), Vytenis ANDRIUKAITIS, I believe that our societies need to become more inclusive, respect all of us as individuals and help people with Down syndrome to become more independent indeed and take your full part in our society.

SOUNDBITE (English), Vytenis ANDRIUKAITIS, Member of the EC in charge of Health and Food Safety, Research is only one side of the coin, I think it would be a mistake to focus too much on research and not enough on inclusion, on access, on fight against discrimination and against this stigmatisation.

SOUNDBITE (French), Antonio TAJANI, EP President, We should not forgot that research is key. If we want to get responses to citizens, if we want research with the objective to heel diseases we need to create companies ready for this challenge.

SOUNDBITE (French), Antonio TAJANI, EP President, I think that each of you is a gift, each woman, each man has a role to play in our society.

SOUNDBITE (French), Antonio TAJANI, EP President, We need to allow to support you in order to live happily to take part in society and to be free citizens, because actually it has to do with freedom.