Department of Information and Tourism, Taipei City Government

The city government organized a carnival at the plaza of Shin Kong Mitsukoshi on November 21; this event was slated to commemorate the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, which was annually held worldwide on December 3.
An Ching-lung, the Deaflympics 2009 bronze medal winner and a hearing-impaired athlete, served as the spokesperson for the event. Braving the rain and the low temperature, members from the local social welfare organizations appeared the event as a way of showing their support.
A dance performance featuring disabled persons kicked off the event. In addition to a series of festivities, a total of 26 caregivers were cited for their outstanding performance of nursing people with special needs during a presentation ceremony.
Speaking before the leaders of the disabled people’s groups and the local residents, the Department of Social Welfare (DOSW) Commissioner Shih Yu-ling indicated that one-third of the city’s social welfare budget was allocated to offer services to persons with disabilities; the city government will continue to carry out policies reaching out to the disabled, including the establishment of a resource center and a request evaluation center and the addition of the second assembly hall.
The International Day of Persons with Disabilities was designated by the United Nations, hoping to increase the understanding of the issues around disabilities and raise the awareness on the rights and well-being of persons with disabilities. Taipei City Government has organized celebrations to mark the day since the year of 2000.