"Get on board" is an invitation to all.

People with disabilities should be at the centre of the European Year, which is about raising awareness of the rights of disabled people to full equality and participation in all areas. It is about tackling barriers that people with disabilities face, wherever they occur. The European Year is also about raising awareness that disability is an issue of concern to all of us. I am confident that the Year will provide a strong impetus to set up these long term goals and the development of new initiatives through Europe. I want to encourage everyone to "get on board" this campaign.

This website is an important part of our campaign. Throughout 2003, it will provide information on all aspects of how to get involved in the European Year, in an accessible and user-friendly way. It is a valuable tool to help organise and promote actions for the year. I sincerely hope that many people will visit and make use of this site.

Anna Diamantopoulou

The European Year of People with Disabilities is an historic opportunity to improve the situation of disabled people throughout Europe. The European Disability Forum will continue working intensively to take advantage of this opportunity and to advance the disability agenda in the European Union. EDF has also very high expectations to see concrete outcomes out of 2003: new legislation, new initiatives and new alliances.

Disabled people are citizens with equal rights. They are active as politicians, workers, consumers, tax payers. New measures and active involvement from all sectors should lead to a positive change in the way our societies include disabled people. 2003 shall be the start of a new era, a new way in which society will look at people with disabilities

Yannis Vardakastanis, President of the EDF