Our history

DSi was founded as a result of a meeting between Jo Mills (Canada), Penny Robertson (Australia) and Sylvia Escamilla (Mexico) who formalised the mission and structure of the organisation.

In May DSi was registered as a UK charity with the Charity Commission of England and Wales.

In May we delivered our first training programme, in Libya. 

In August the 10th World Down Syndrome Congress took place in Dublin, Ireland.

In November, we moved to offices in Teddington, England at the former home of pioneering Victorian Physician Dr John Langdon Down, after whom Down syndrome is named.

In December the United Nations General Assembly declared 21 March as World Down Syndrome Day (WDSD), a resolution proposed and promoted by Brazil, following a request by the Brazilian Federation of Associations of Down Syndrome, who worked with DSi and our members to launch an extensive campaign to generate international support.

In March we organised the first WDSD Conference at United Nations HQ in New York, United States.

2012 conference theme “Building Our Future”

In August, we were in Cape Town, South Africa for the 11th World Down Syndrome Congress.

In March we organised the 2nd WDSD Conference at United Nations HQ in New York, United States.

2013 conference theme “Right to Work”

In April we visited Tajikistan to deliver education training. 

TAJIKISTAN EARLY DEVELOPMENT

In March we organised the 3rd WDSD Conference at United Nations HQ in New York, United States.

2014 conference theme “Health and Wellbeing –Access and Equality for All”

In October we visited Oman to deliver healthcare training. 

OMAN HEALTH TRAINING

In March we organised the 4th WDSD Conference at United Nations HQ in New York, United States.

2015 conference theme "My Opportunities, My Choices" – Enjoying Full and Equal Rights and the Role of Families

In August we were in Chennai, India for the 12th World Down Syndrome Congress.

In March we organised the 5th WDSD Conference at United Nations HQ in New York, United States.

2016 conference theme “My Friends, My Community” – The benefits of inclusive environments for today's children and tomorrow's adults

DSi supported the establishment of Rwanda Down Syndrome Organisation. 

RWANDA ORGANISATION SUPPORT

In March we organised the 6th WDSD Conference at United Nations HQ in New York, United States.

2017 conference theme "My Voice My Community" – Enabling people with Down syndrome to speak up, be heard and influence government policy and action, to be fully included in the community

Also in March we organised the first WDSD event at United Nations in Geneva.

We visited Turkey to deliver our first self-advocacy training.

TURKEY SELF-ADVOCACY

We worked with Sociedad Peruana de Sindrome Down in Peru to deliver our parent support project.

PERU PARENT SUPPORT

In March we organised the 7th WDSD Conference at UN HQ in New York and the 2nd side event at the Human Rights Council, UN, Geneva, Switzerland. 

2018 conference theme "What I bring to my community"

In June we returned to Turkey to deliver follow-up self-advocacy training.

In July we were in Glasgow, Scotland for the 13th World Down Syndrome Congress.  

In November we visited Nigeria to deliver self-advocacy training.

NIGERIA SELF-ADVOCACY

In December we worked with Down Syndrome Association of Nepal to deliver our early development project.

NEPAL EARLY DEVELOPMENT

In March we organised the 8th WDSD Conference at UN HQ in New York and the 3rd side event at the Human Rights Council, UN, Geneva, Switzerland. 

2019 conference theme "Leave no one behind"

A draft copy of our international Education Guidelines was formally presented to a senior representative of UNICEF at the conference in New York.

EDUCATION GUIDELINES

In June we returned to Nigeria to offer further self-advocacy training supported by our newly recruited Self-Advocate Fellow George Basil Okudi.

We also visited Bangladesh to deliver self-advocacy training.

BANGLADESH SELF-ADVOCACY

In August the DSi Board members and staff meet to review our strategy and plan for the years ahead.

In September we visited the UAE to deliver self-advocacy training ahead of the 14th World Down Syndrome Congress which will be held in Dubai in November 2020.

UAE SELF-ADVOCACY

In October we launched a fundraising project to enable the Rwanda Down Syndrome Organisation (RDSO) to train family members and teachers in Rwanda to support the development of children with Down syndrome.

RWANDA EARLY DEVELOPMENT

Also in October we visited Kosovo to deliver self-advocacy training.

KOSOVO SELF-ADVOCACY

In November we returned to Bangladesh for the second training workshop of our project supporting the Down Syndrome Society of Bangladesh to start their first self-advocacy group.

BANGLADESH SELF-ADVOCACY

In January DSi visited Nairobi, Kenya to launch our new project with the Down Syndrome Society of Kenya.

In February we returned to UAE to follow up on the self-advocacy training that begun in September 2019. 

In March we organised the 9th WDSD Conference. For the first time, due to the COVID-19 crisis, this was a virtual event.

2020 conference theme "We Decide"

World Down Syndrome Day Virtual Conference

As the year progressed we shifted a large portion of our resources to respond to the evolving situation with COVID-19 and to support our members and the global Down syndrome community during these difficult times.

COVID-19 response

In July we published our long awaited International Guidelines for the Education of Learners with Down Syndrome.

DOWNLOAD GUIDELINES (PDF)

Also in July we launched our #ListenIncludeRespect project working together with Inclusion International developing guidelines for inclusive participation.

Inclusive participation