Berlin: Jasour – News Desk
With the Participation of Global Leaders and Experts, Berlin to Host the Largest Gathering for Individuals with Special Needs.
Amidst escalating global discussions on inclusion and human rights, the 2025 Global Disability Summit is set to take place in Berlin on April 2–3, with more than 3,000 leaders participating to shed light on the rights of individuals with special needs and drive transformative change worldwide. The summit will bring together participants from governments, organizations for individuals with special needs, international bodies, civil society, the private sector, and academic institutions.
The event is being co-organized by the governments of Germany and Jordan, alongside the International Disability Alliance (IDA). Prominent global leaders scheduled to attend include His Majesty King Abdullah II Ibn Al Hussein, German Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Pakistani Prime Minister Mian Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif and Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations Amina J. Mohammed, Dr. Nawaf Kabbara, President of IDA, and Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization.
Ahead of the summit’s official launch, the Civil Society Forum (CSF) will take place on April 1. The forum is an integral part of the Global Disability Summit, offering a dedicated space for civil society organizations, activists, and allies to convene. It aims to address pressing issues faced by the disability community, discuss priorities, and foster partnerships to sustain advocacy efforts beyond the summit.
Since its inception in 2017, the Global Disability Summit has served as a crucial platform for advancing the inclusion of individuals with special needs worldwide. The previous summits held in 2018 and 2022 resulted in significant commitments, leading to policy shifts, increased funding, and enhanced collaboration among stakeholders. The 2025 Global Disability Summit seeks to build on this momentum, placing a strong emphasis on integrating special needs inclusion into global development and humanitarian efforts.
The summit will address several key topics, including transforming labor markets to be more inclusive, advancing accessibility in urban development, and ensuring equitable healthcare systems for individuals with special needs. Discussions will also focus on inclusive education for all, funding programs tailored to individuals with special needs, bridging the digital divide, and fostering greater participation of individuals with special needs in public life and decision-making processes. Additionally, the summit will explore the urgent need to address climate action from an inclusive perspective.
The summit’s impact is expected to resonate as non-governmental organizations hold governments accountable and work to ensure that the inclusion of individuals with special needs remains a priority in the years ahead.
