Purple Fest 2025 to be held in Oct in partnership with UN India

New Delhi, May 16 (PTI) The upcoming Purple Fest will be held here in October in collaboration with the United Nations India and will focus on a pathway for inclusion of persons with disabilities.
    The announcement was made here by UN Resident Coordinator for India, Shombi Sharp, alongside State Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities, Government of Goa, Guruprasad Pawaskar.
    The Purple Fest is organised every year to celebrate inclusivity, empowerment and talent, bringing together diverse voices.
    The event is one of India’s most prominent platforms celebrating the rights and contributions of persons with disabilities.    
    “This partnership is about genuine collaboration with persons with disabilities as equal partners to build communities that are accessible, inclusive, and shaped by everyone’s voice. Goa and India are stepping up as champions of change, and we invite everyone to be a part of this movement,” Sharp said.
     The fest, which began as a state-level initiative, has grown into a global platform for dialogue and action, said Pawaskar.
    “Through this partnership with the United Nations, we are reinforcing our commitment to solutions that are inclusive, scalable, and rooted in the everyday-lived experiences of persons with disabilities,” he added.    
    Goa’s Minister for Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, Subhash Phal Dessai called the collaboration a moment of pride for the state and the nation.
    “With universal design as our theme, we aim to ensure equal participation and dignity for all— across both urban and rural communities,” he said.    
    This event is organised by the Office of the State Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities, Department for Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, Government of Goa, with support from the Central Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities.
    The 2025 edition of the fest is expected to bring together persons with disabilities, advocates, researchers, innovators, policy makers, and civil society actors from across India and abroad.
    It will feature inclusive exhibitions, performances, panel discussions, and showcases of accessible technology.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)