BEL's International Day of People with a Disability celebration

The BEL Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Committee hosted a Morning Tea in the Dark on Thursday 2 December to celebrate the United Nations’ International Day of People with a Disability, a day on which people all around the world take time to reflect on disability and work on increasing public awareness, understanding and acceptance of people with disability.

The morning tea was launched by Professor Andrew Griffiths and it was a privilege to hear from Dr Miriam Moeller and Ms Claire Cunningham who spoke on the panel to discuss disability in the workplace, providing their fascinating and invaluable insights into living and working with deafness, neurodiversity and other invisible disabilities. Attendees wore blindfolds while enjoying morning tea and listening to the panel.  

Professor Paul Harpur, who was speaking at another event, provided us with a supportive message to read at the morning tea:

Universities train the disability leaders of tomorrow, employ the disability leaders of today, and produce research and innovation which creates a more inclusive world.

In 2015 approximately 4.4% of students at the UQ had a disability.

In 2019 approximately 5.7% of students at the UQ had a disability.

In 2021 approximately 8.8% of students at the UQ had a disability.

Together we can make the UQ a disability champion of change.

- Professor Paul Harpur

Thank you to the committee for hosting this event, to Prof Andrew Griffiths for chairing the panel discussion, to the panellists Dr Miriam Moeller and Ms Claire Cunningham, Prof Paul Harpur and to everyone who attended, for making this such a thoroughly successful event! 

Attendees donated $116, along with $452 donated at the Faculty Christmas Party the next day, made for a generous donation to the Guide Dogs.