SINGAPORE — For the first time, 40 organisations have banded together to mark this year’s International Day of Persons with Disabilities. Their aim: Kick-start a movement to promote an attitude of inclusiveness towards individuals with special needs.

In the past, various organisations would celebrate the day with small, separate celebrations, but this approach was “not very effective ... (and) wasn’t really making any statement” about encouraging inclusiveness in interactions with such individuals.

Thus, 40 organisations — including those not catering to the needs of disabled people — will come together tomorrow to celebrate the day with a large-scale carnival and parade, called The Purple Parade, in a bid to raise awareness of their cause.

Said the movement’s adviser, Ms Denise Phua, President of the Autism Resource Centre and co-founder of Pathlight School: “This year, we wanted to do it (differently). The word ‘bold’ came to our minds — to make a statement about inclusion and celebrate abilities.

“The ex-prisoners have the Yellow Ribbon (Project) and the Lesbian-gay-bisexual-transgender community has the Pink Dot (movement), (which are) all very successful. But the special-needs community does not have a unified platform. We tend to have piecemeal activities and hope for this (parade) to be a platform where everybody who supports our special ones can come together,” she added.

Ms Phua, who is also Member of Parliament for Moulmein-Kallang GRC, said the organisers are thinking beyond tomorrow’s event, with ideas such as showcasing the artistic talent of people with special needs, selling their works and starting social enterprises involving them.

On the publicity front, the Purple Parade has started with a bang. Several parliamentarians, including Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, have expressed support for the movement on social media (see box).

One of the six organisers, Very Special Arts (VSA) Singapore’s Executive Director Christopher Yeow, said it got involved in the movement because “it is very much in line with what we do”.

The voluntary welfare organisation provides those with disabilities opportunities to engage in the arts for rehabilitation and social integration.

Mr Yeow also hopes to publicise their works online and at the carnival, and feature some of these individuals at tomorrow’s concert.

Besides organisations catering to the needs of disabled people, other firms participating in the movement include blog shop Love Bonito and F&B establishments Starbucks and Mr Bean. The Manpower and Social and Family Development ministries are involved too.

The organisers hope to get into the Singapore Book of Records at the event by forming the biggest square made of pledge cards supporting Singapore’s signing of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities last year. The current record stands at 5.2 sq m.

Ms Phua also said she hopes the public will show up tomorrow even if there is bad weather, because it would send out a strong message.

“The statement is: Even if it rains (and) pours on us (and) on our parade, life must go on and we’re going to face and fight the challenges.”