On 3 December, Canberra hosts a groundbreaking dialogue on one of today’s most pressing challenges: how to build welcoming communities amid growing disinformation and division.
Halting Hate, Finding Kindness: Rebooting Diversity, Disability Inclusion and Equity in the 2020s brings together international experts, local leaders, and Canberrans with disability for a thoughtful discussion on the effects of harmful speech, misinformation and disinformation – and the practical steps communities can take to counter it.
“The rise of ableist hate speech is not a fringe issue,” AFI Co-Chair Craig Wallace says. “It undermines safety, belonging, and the democratic consensus. This International Day of People with Disability, we’re focusing on a necessary reboot of core ideas which bind us together.”
Running from noon to 5pm, the event will feature an impressive lineup, including Professor Nicolas Levrat, UN Special Rapporteur on Minority Issues, alongside Australian academics Professor Gerard Goggin, Dr Ashleigh Haw, and Professor Nicole Asquith. The afternoon will be hosted by ABC’s Ellen Fanning with more special guests to be announced closer to the day.
It is the key note ACT event for the first-ever community-controlled UN International Day of People with Disability, and a key milestone has been the ACT’s 2024 decision to hand full management of the day to people with disability – the first jurisdiction in Australia to do so. As the nation’s only human rights jurisdiction, the ACT has a unique opportunity to demonstrate inclusion can be more than words on paper.
The program has been designed by a community steering committee co-chaired by Advocacy for Inclusion and Women with Disabilities ACT. According to Ravi Krishnamurthy, JP and Taryn Lee, two spokespeople for the committee, the new program reflects months of deliberation and a determination to root celebrations in the here and now.
Ravi Krishnamurthy JP says, “This year’s agenda encourages open conversation on topics such as how misinformation about disability spreads, its real-world impacts on employment and wellbeing. We are also keen to build on learnings from other communities, including the multicultural community.”
“Safety, dignity, and truth are everyone’s responsibility. Governments, organisations and citizens can each play their part in upholding dignity and respect,” adds Taryn Lee. “We’re creating space for people to commit to shared action. We can all take action here.”
The dialogue builds on months of engagement, including a creative showcase of works by artists with disability from across Australia, and a partnership with Canberra Weekly featuring a special IDAY supplement and Celebration Pass linking locals with accessible venues and welcoming businesses out on 27 November.
The message is clear – building a welcoming city begins with how we treat one another. On 3 December, Canberra shows what that looks like in action.
The community managed IDAY 2025 signature event supported by the ACT Government and Hands Across Canberra, takes place online on Wednesday 3 December, 12–5pm – visit Halting Hate, Finding Kindness Rebooting Diversity, Disability Inclusion and Equity in the 2020s – Advocacy for Inclusion
