On today’s occasion World Down Syndrome Daythe President of the Republic Katerina Sakellaropoulou refers to her meeting with children and their managers Down Syndrome Association of Greeceduring her recent visit to Thessaloniki and points out in a post on Instagram:

“A few hours of carefree, unpretentious joy around a table near the sea, next to young people with Down syndrome, gave meaning to our lunch in Thessaloniki. Young children, who yearn for equal participation in every aspect of everyday life but very often experience discrimination and exclusion, enjoyed the sunshine and the blue, accompanied by the officials of the Hellas Down Syndrome Association. With them, guests, and young people from Banja Luka, some of whom were seeing the sea for the first time. Their admiration, their clear gaze, the rich shades of their emotions, was a gift to all of us. Far from prejudice, embarrassment or fear, let’s all work together to offer them an environment of opportunity, acceptance and respect, boosting their self-confidence and strengthening their autonomy in practice».

Check out this Instagram post.

The post was shared by Katerina Sakellaropoulou (@presidencygr)