Happy to have met new friends.

21 Aug 2024

Last Wednesday, we was invited to speak at the U.S. Embassy. The event was organized by the embassy, and they invited interested friends to join both onsite and online. It was a great honor to have the Ambassador personally open the event and even stay to listen to our presentations. Along with two other speakers, ThisAble.me and STEPS, we shared various topics with our friends.

I decided to present on “Thailand Accessibility Update,” complete with visuals, because I believe it’s crucial for our “new friends” to understand the current situation, the facts, and to see the “reality” happening in Thailand.

I briefly discussed how we’re pushing for accessibility because as people’s physical conditions change, this issue becomes essential to fully connect with other forms of assistance.

I used SDGs data on quality education and urban development to create a clear comparison. Since time was limited, I followed up by sending an additional presentation.

For us, this was a significant step forward, as it’s encouraging that the U.S. Embassy is taking an interest in our advocacy efforts. It’s also heartening to learn that the U.S. Embassy has established a Disabilities Action Group, which aligns closely with our work. Given the urgency of the current situation, we are working as quickly as possible to address these issues, because the longer we wait, the greater the damage—damage means life and uncalculable.

Thank you to Sharon, her team, and the U.S. Embassy for organizing this event. Thank you to all the new friends who spent times with us.

The power of grassroots movements is immense and crucial. I hope to see more collaborative efforts that reduce the number of people left behind in every area and every country.

Thank you to the U.S. Embassy team for the photos.
/ Saba