DPR News
World Down Syndrome Day 2025
Rocking their funky socks, staff and students gathered from all over the university, along with VIP guests from the Down Syndrome Centre Cork, to mark World Down Syndrome Day 2025
World Down Syndrome Day (WDSD), 21 March, is a global awareness day which has been officially observed by the United Nations since 2012. The date for WDSD being the 21st day of the 3rd month was selected to signify the uniqueness of the triplication (trisomy) of the 21st chromosome which causes Down syndrome.
To mark WDSD 2025 over 60 UCC staff, students and VIP guests came together to rock their funky socks and to create a unified global voice to advocate for the rights, inclusion and well-being of the people with Down syndrome in our lives, our communities, here and all over the world. Now, more than ever, we need to make our voices heard.
Current UCC students from the id+ futures programmes and colleagues from Roots Café in the Hub (operated by Horizons Cork) also came along to show their support as did Prof Stephen Byrne, Registrar and Deputy President, colleagues from the DPR, EDI, Students’ Union, School of Clinical Therapies, Student Recruitment, Bystander Intervention, Visitor Services and Media and Communications, among many others from departments and offices across UCC.
This year’s theme is Improve Our Support Systems which is a global appeal to governments all over the world to do better for people with Down Syndrome. Everyone needs support sometimes. People with Down syndrome need support to live and be included in the community, like everyone else. Families also need support, as they are often supporting their family member with Down Syndrome. Support is a key human right that helps make other rights possible and the right supports allow people with Down Syndrome to have choice and exercise control over their own lives. It is important that they have a seat at the table where the decisions are made. Watch this fantastic video by CoorDown entitled No Decision Without Us.
Finally, the Quad will be lit up in purple (the colour of Down Syndrome Ireland) on the evening of WDSD as an important symbolic gesture of UCC’s support of and solidarity with the amazing Down syndrome community.
Big míle buíochas to:
- Superstars Amy, Cameron, Finn, Kerrie, Mary-Kate and Saoirse and their families, along with Lisa Donovan (Director of Services) and Cathy Halpin (Chairperson of the Board) from the Down Syndrome Centre for coming to campus to be part of our WDSD celebrations;
- Loretta Brady, Prof Máire Leane and Dr Nicola Maxwell and all the students and staff from the id+ project for their support;
- Rowena Kinsella and the brilliant baristas at Roots Café for showing their solidarity;
- Portia Ameyalli García Cruz from UCCTV for capturing the event in a beautiful reel;
- Linda Foley in the President’s Office and colleagues in the Buildings Office for lighting up the Quad;
- Emma McCarthy for the wonderful photos and rounding us up so well!
- Everyone who came along to support show off their funky socks and stand With Us!
For more information, contact Carol Veiga at carol.veiga@ucc.ie