EYPD 2003 - Poland - OFOONR

Polish Federation of Organisations of Persons with Physical Disability

Poland takes part in celebrating the European Year of People with Disabilities according to the directive of the European Council. The main organizational efforts are taken by the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, the National Disability Fund and the 'Association of Integration”.

In December 2002 has been established the National Committee for the European Year of People with Disabilities with the Prime Minister Leszek Miller as its Honorary Chair. The members of the Committee are among others: Polish First Lady, the President's wife - Mrs Jolanta Kwašniewska (who is also the C.hair of the foundation 'Understanding without Barriers'), the Chair of Parliament - Mr Marek Borowski, the Polish Ombudsman - Prof. Andrzej Zolt, the Plenipotentiary of the Government for Disabled Persons - Ms Jolanta Banach, chiefs of public radio and television, authorities of main churches and representatives of several non-governmental disability organizations.

Several promoting actions are provided: conferences, information campaigns, seminars and integrating events (exhibitions, concerts, sport competitions, etc.). The preliminary plan of the celebration of EYPD contains among others the annual social campaign 'Disability - standard affair' (including radio and TV spots), creation of a country-wide information centre for disabled persons and trainings for architects and officers of municipal guards raising their awareness of problems '. concerning disability.

About 80 events organized by different disability organizations are involved in the celebration of EYPD. The organizations may apply for partial covering of the costs of these events by the National Disability Fund.

The Polish Federation of Organizations of Physically Disabled People - OFOONR will organize in October 2003 a country-wide conference 'Right of handicapped persons in Poland and in countries of European Union' with the participation of the leaders of OFOONR member organizations as well as the representatives of state and local authorities. During this conference we would like to present the legal solutions valid in EU countries and having a direct and significant impact on disabled people. Especially we would talk about the European Council Directive of 27 November 2000 establishing a general framework for equal treatment in employment and occupation.