World Youth Alliance Wears Mismatched Socks for World Down Syndrome Day

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WorldDownSyndrome-03The World Youth Alliance wore mismatched socks to show its support for World Down Syndrome Day on March 21, and to celebrate the dignity, resilience, and the wonderfulness of every individual with Down Syndrome (DS).

The purpose of the “Lots of Socks” campaign is to spread awareness of Down Syndrome (DS), express appreciation for those individuals who have DS, and participate in a voluntary fundraiser to support those who have DS.  The idea of mismatched socks as well as the date, 3/21, signifies the uniqueness of the 3rd chromosome on chromosome number 21 in people with DS, also known as “Trisomy 21.”  The condition is labeled “Down Syndrome” after Dr. John Langdon Down, the doctor who discovered it.

WYA celebrates the wonderful qualities of those with DS, while supporting their rights to inclusion and respect.  Last year, a WYA intern wrote about her experience at the United Nations celebration of World Down Syndrome Day in “Who is man, that you are mindful of him?”  On October 18, 2011, the United Nations General Assembly drafted a declaration on World Down Syndrome Day.  In many ways, those with DS remind us of the essence of what it means to be truly human.

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