25 March 2025, Berlin
As global discussions on inclusion and human rights intensify, the Global Disability Summit (GDS) 2025, set for April 2-3, 2025, in Berlin, will gather over 3,000 leaders to focus on transforming disability rights worldwide.The Summit will bring together participants from governments, Organizations of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs), international organizations, civil society, the private sector, and academia.
The event is co-hosted by the governments of Germany and Jordan, alongside the International Disability Alliance (IDA). Global leaders attending include His Majesty King Abdullah II ibn Al Hussein of Jordan, HE Olaf Scholz, Federal Chancellor of Germany; HE Amina J. Mohammed, Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations; Dr. Nawaf Kabbara, President of the International Disability Alliance; and Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO).
Preceding the main Summit is the Civil Society Forum (CSF) on April 1, 2025. The CSF is an integral part of the Global Disability Summit, providing a dedicated space for OPDs, activists, and allies to meet. It leverages the timing of the GDS to address the most pressing issues facing the disability community, discuss priorities, and build partnerships that will support continued advocacy beyond the Summit.
Since its launch in 2017, the GDS has been a critical platform for advancing global disability inclusion. The first two Summits, held in 2018 and 2022, led to significant commitments, resulting in policy shifts, increased funding, and greater collaboration among stakeholders. GDS 2025 will build on this momentum, with a strong focus on embedding disability inclusion in global development and humanitarian action.
The Summit will address several priority areas, including the transformation of labor markets to be more inclusive, advancing accessibility in urban development, and ensuring equitable health systems for persons with disabilities. Discussions will also focus on inclusive education, financing for disability-inclusive programs, and reducing the digital divide. Additionally, the Summit will explore how to ensure greater participation of persons with disabilities in public life and decision-making processes, as well as the urgency of addressing climate action from an inclusive perspective.
The Summit’s impact will continue to resonate as OPDs hold governments accountable and work to ensure that disability inclusion remains a priority in the years to come.
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For press inquiries, please contact:
Chandni Ahuja (cahuja@ida-secretariat.org) and Nitya Agarwal (nagarwal@ida-secretariat.org)