On 4–5 December 2025, the EFHOH delegation attended and actively contributed to the European Day of Persons with Disabilities (EDPD), hosted by the European Commission in collaboration with the European Disability Forum. The annual event brought together policymakers, advocates, and organisations from across Europe to reflect on progress and ongoing challenges in disability rights.
The event opened with a strong message from Marilena Evangelou, Deputy Minister of Social Welfare of Cyprus, who stressed the collective cost of exclusion: when persons with disabilities are not fully included, societies lose diversity, economies lose talent, and institutions lose credibility.
The first day featured a powerful intervention by disability advocate Nicole Sophie Marinos, who highlighted the everyday barriers faced by hard of hearing people. Nicole emphasised that while hearing loss shapes her experience, the most significant challenges often stem from how others perceive and misunderstand it.
Some of her points:
“Education opens doors, but employment is where equality is truly tested.”
“Inclusion is not determined by disability. It is determined by the environment.”
On the second day, our President Lidia Best spoke at the panel “Preparedness and Crisis Management Inclusive of Persons with Disabilities”, where she delivered a strong statement:
“We should not be required to preregister for access to services. Hearing people don’t, so why should we?”, calling for the need for multiple accessible ways to contact 112 and receive emergency information.
The two-day event reinforced the crucial role of disability organisations in shaping inclusive EU policies. For EFHOH, it was a valuable opportunity to bring the perspectives of hard of hearing people directly into high-level discussions and ensure that accessibility and equal participation remain central to Europe’s disability agenda.
We look forward to continuing this work with EU institutions and partners in the year ahead!
Watch the first day session.
Watch the second day session.
