President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan participated in the Disability-Inclusive Century of Türkiye International Day of Persons with Disabilities Gathering held on Thursday at the AK Party Congress Center in Ankara.
The event brought together government representatives, civil society leaders, academics, private sector stakeholders and persons with disabilities to commemorate the International Day of Persons with Disabilities and evaluate Türkiye’s ongoing strategies to empower disabled citizens.
During his address, Erdoğan extended his heartfelt congratulations to disabled citizens, their families and supporters worldwide, emphasizing the importance of solidarity on this significant day.
"I sincerely congratulate all our disabled brothers and sisters, our friends and elders around the world on the International Day of Persons with Disabilities. I hope this important day brings goodness for our disabled citizens, their valuable families and our entire nation," he said.
Highlighting the resilience of disabled individuals, Erdoğan stated, "Their determination and perseverance open no space for despair; they always look to the future with confidence and serve as examples for all of us."
The president thanked those who organized the event, saying, "I sincerely thank our presidency and everyone involved for arranging this valuable program that brings our hearts together and helps us reconnect."
On government efforts, Erdoğan stressed the need for cooperation: "Addressing the problems of our disabled citizens requires collaboration and coordination. I observe with great appreciation the increasing sensitivity in our society involving central and local administrations, academia, civil society and the business world."
He also addressed social services, stating, "As both the government and the Justice and Development Party (AK Party), we have solid policies and activities aimed at supporting the disabled, backed by legal and administrative reforms."
Erdoğan emphasized the government’s commitment to inclusivity, saying, "We defend the rights of our disabled brothers and sisters not only nationally but strongly on the international stage, and we will continue our efforts in this direction."
On the moral approach of the administration, he noted: "We are the followers of a prophet who said, 'Make things easy, do not make them difficult.' We carry out all our work with this understanding sincerely and wholeheartedly."
He assured disabled citizens: "We want every broken heart to be healed, every detained spirit freed, and every disabled brother or sister who has not received necessary support to be provided for. We will work devotedly and sincerely."
Erdoğan highlighted the importance of social support services, "Today, approximately 520,000 of our citizens benefit from home care assistance, whereas in 2012 this number was just 5,000."
He described educational and employment advancements, saying: "We expanded special education schools and established disabled student units in universities. Employment of disabled individuals in the public sector increased from 5,000 in 2012 to over 83,000 today."
On strategic planning, Erdoğan shared: "With the 2030 Engelsiz Vizyon Belgesi, we have transformed our disability policies into a holistic strategy covering education, employment, technology and more. We have begun preparations for the second national disability action plan covering 2026-2028, which we will soon announce."
Closing his speech, he reaffirmed the government's ongoing dedication: "We will continue to provide the highest standards of service and solve your problems. We will always stand by you and work together to overcome challenges."
The event concluded with awards presented to institutions and individuals for their contributions to disability inclusion and accessibility.
