Celebrating Achievement, Inclusion, and Empowerment: International Day of Persons with Disabilities 2025
Today, on International Day of Persons with Disabilities, we proudly join people around the world in celebrating the strength, talent, and achievements of individuals with disabilities, as well as the communities and teams who support them. This year’s theme is ‘Fostering disability-inclusive societies for advancing social progress’.
For nearly seventy years, our organisation has been deeply rooted in Cork life, standing beside people as they pursue their goals, express their ambitions and build the futures they choose for themselves.
As we mark this important day, we look back on some of the achievements that reflect not only progress, but the power of inclusion, community, and partnership.
Horizons will be on Nationwide tonight
Set your TV recorders! To celebrate IDPwD, Horizons will feature in a special programme on tonight’s Nationwide at 7PM on RTE One. Along with the Crann Centre and Cork Deaf Association, Horizons will showcase how we support people to live independently and empower people to achieve their goals and ambitions. Benóg and his mother Mary will speak about how he was supported by Horizons to live in a home of his choosing. David, who is supported by our Doras training centre will be serving up some delicious coffees in Roots Coffee House. He shares how much he loves his role as a barista and what his future goals are. A huge thank you to everyone who participated in the programme and to Healy Communications for supporting this piece.
Dare to Dream: Celebrating ambition through our 2026 calendar
We recently launched our 2026 “Dare to Dream” calendar, a project that beautifully captures the hopes, goals, and ambitions of the people we support. Each month features a person we support sharing a dream that reflects their individuality and future aspirations. The photos, stories, and creativity captured throughout the calendar highlight something profound: when people are truly listened to, supported, and believed in, their dreams guide the path forward. We look forward to the calendar being enjoyed by the people we support, families, staff and our supporters throughout 2026.
Horizons’ Suisha Inclusive Arts is honoured by The Zero Project
Horizons’ Suisha Inclusive Arts is one of just seven groups globally to be recognised at the inaugural Zero Project Arts Awards.
The awards, which promote accessibility for and in the arts, acknowledge Horizons’ Suisha’s ‘Arts Access ID’ programme, which supports neurodiverse and intellectually disabled artists and audiences to fully participate in cultural life.
The winners are being announced today on International Day of Persons with Disabilities and reward projects that are innovative, impactful and scalable for work towards a world with zero barriers. The awards ceremony will take place at the UN Offices in Vienna in February, where Horizons’ Suisha Inclusive Arts has been invited to speak and perform. Eoin Nash who, with the support of Horizons (formerly Cope Foundation) founded and is the director of Suisha says: “I have dedicated my life’s work to valuing intellectually disabled artists and their artistic ambitions. This global Zero Project award builds on previous European Awards for our innovative work in this space. It positions Suisha Inclusive Arts/Horizons as global leaders in the field of Inclusive Arts. My hope is that the value of arts and culture will be better recognised going forward. I am eager to share our processes with others within the arts and beyond to advance disability rights and improve access.” A huge congratulations to Eoin and the Horizons’ Suisha Team on this incredible achievement.
Horizons’ Bonnington Training Centre recently awarded the Green Campus Flag!
The Green Campus Programme, running in Ireland since 2007, promotes a partnership approach to environmental education and action in third-level institutions. Today, 55 campuses are registered, and Bonnington Training Centre proudly joins the 22 campuses awarded the Green Flag. This achievement is the result of over 4 years of dedication from the incredible students and staff in BTC. Your commitment to sustainability and environmental action is what made this possible. This is more than a flag; it’s a symbol of shared responsibility to create a greener, more sustainable future. Huge congratulations to everyone who made this possible.
Roots Coffee House appears on Dizzy Deliveries
Dizzy Deliveries is a children’s TV programme on RTE Junior. It follows Joe, Ozzy and Aisling, as they make some Dizzy Deliveries and teach Lámh Signs. Pre-school and Lámh Users of all ages learn 3 key Lámh signs in every episode. The opportunity came about as a result of filming taking place with pupils supported by Scoil Éanna. The crew asked if they could film part of the episode in Roots Coffee House, Filming took place in the summertime, where the characters got up to all sorts of mischief. John, who is supported by one of our training centres plays a blinder as the barista. The full episode can be watched here.
Arts & Culture in Cork
Horizons’ Suisha Arts celebrates International Day of Persons with Disabilities at the closing celebration of their art exhibition ‘In the Frame’. Celebrations include instrumental music performances from Suisha Arts Musicians.
The exhibition running at Bishopstown Library is a visual art exhibition created by artists with disabilities supported by Horizons and Sarah Stapleton CETB Educator and Visual Artist. The works showcase a diverse range of mediums from mixed media, works on paper, drawings and sculptural pieces.
Suisha’s work is underpinned by Article 30 of the United Nations Convention of Persons with Disabilities; Whereby parties shall take appropriate measures to enable persons with disabilities to have the opportunity to develop and utilise their creative, artistic and intellectual potential not only for their own benefit, but also for the enrichment of society.
Music – bringing people together and showcasing talent
Bandmates musicians from Horizons’ Community Hub & Day Centre in Mallow lit up the stage during Neurodiversity Week at Scoil Ghobnatan Primary School with a powerful performance of Fix You by Coldplay. Their journey ‘Bandmates The Movie’, captured on film by Finbarr Murray, was celebrated with a red-carpet premiere at Gate Cinema, inspiring all to follow their dreams, no matter their abilities.
Well done to everyone involved!
Looking ahead with purpose and pride
As we mark the International Day of Persons with Disabilities and reflect on some of the incredible impact achieved across the organisation, we celebrate not only successes, but what is possible when inclusion is at the heart of community life.
Horizons (formerly Cope Foundation) remains committed to empowering individuals to lead self-directed, meaningful lives where choice, independence and respect are fundamental.
We look forward to continuing this journey alongside the people we support, their families, our staff, and the wider Cork community.