Hello! I'm Panos and I'm 13 years old. I live in Greece and I like swimming.
I am proud to be a member of the UNICEF team as a UNICEF Youth Advocate. I have the opportunity to participate in the actions and programs to promote children’s rights across the country.
As a person with mobility problems, I advocate for issues of accessibility and inclusion in order to promote the integration of people with special needs into society.
I have faced many challenges in my life that make my daily life in the city difficult. One of them was when at some point at school we were supposed to visit the Acropolis. That day, when we arrived, we were told that the lift to go up there was out of order even though we had informed them that it would be needed, so I finally didn’t go. Therefore, I felt that my right to education through educational visits was infringed upon.
I started being an advocate for children's rights when one day in 4th grade I took part in a campaign for inclusive schools. During that period, I read and familiarised myself with UNICEF’s work and mission and got really inspired. Following that I got involved in multiple UNICEF’s initiatives and sometime later I was given the opportunity to be UNICEF’s youth advocate. I immediately accepted the offer with great pleasure as I really wanted to advocate for the rights of children, especially those with physical disabilities.
Inclusion and accessibility must be ensured in schools, buildings and all places, as every child with a disability should enjoy the best possible life in society. As the Convention of the Rights of the Child states in Article 23, governments should remove all obstacles for children with disabilities to become independent and to participate actively in the community like every other child. We should all join forces to achieve a better and more accessible world for every child without any exemption.
People should behave politely and not make our lives difficult eg not park in special parking spaces, ramps or pavements.
If the world could integrate every child into society it would be prettier, more carefree and more smiley, just like children are.
All young people should take action and understand that every child should have equal rights and opportunities. Young people and children are the future of the world and the continuity of the planet.
Illustration by Febrilia Syahputri.
