Deputy Ministers Rıdvan Duran and İsmail Ergüneş, Director General of Services for Persons with Disabilities and the Elderly, Ms. Elmas Esra Ceceli and department heads of the Ministry attended the program held at Saray Barrier-Free Living Care and Rehabilitation Center within the scope of the Disability Week.

Delivering the opening speech of the program, Ms. Elmas Esra Ceceli, Director General of Services for Persons with Disabilities and the Elderly, stated that Türkiye implemented revolutionary services in disability in the last 20 years. Noting that through efforts to make a fairer and more egalitarian world possible, Türkiye would continue to shape its community-based services to support the independent lives of persons with disabilities, from employment to care services, from healthcare to education, from access to justice, with a rights-based approach, Ceceli continued: "In the journey of development as a country, the Ministry will continue to support its citizens with disabilities, with its services and projects without leaving no one behind, and to support the equal, full and natural participation of every person in life with its rights-based services.

Deputy Minister Rıdvan Duran expressed his delight to come together with persons with disabilities on the occasion of the Disability Week and expressed: "As stated by the President of the Republic of Türkiye, we do not refrain from any sacrifice for these people, who are the relics of God to all of us, to make their dreams come true. Barriers to the participation of persons with disabilities in social life have been abolished. Employment is ensured every year. Families of persons with disabilities are supported. Important legal arrangements have been put in place to facilitate the lives of persons with disabilities. Care homes and living centers are at the service of the citizens. Arrangements have been made to ensure accessibility in many areas. Praise be to God, all these efforts have led to the understanding that persons with disabilities are equal citizens of the country. As the Minister has stated at every opportunity, we follow these matters very meticulously and we never allow any discrimination against the persons with disabilities."

Following the opening speeches, a piano and guitar recital by the children who benefited from both day and residential services of the Ministry took the stage, followed by a delightful music feast by the Mehter team.

 The Disability Week program was concluded following the presentation of gifts.