SayPro 2025 Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD) Speech

By Sapapi Johannes Mputla, Deputy Chairperson, SayPro Royal Committee

Distinguished colleagues, honored guests, friends and champions of inclusion—

It is a privilege to stand before you today on Global Accessibility Awareness Day 2025, a day that reminds us of both how far we’ve come—and how far we must still go—to build a world where access is not earned, but assured.

As the Deputy Chairperson of the SayPro Royal Committee, I have the honor of working alongside our Chairperson and the broader leadership of SayPro to uphold a vision rooted in dignity, respect, and equal opportunity. Ours is a vision that sees accessibility not merely as a feature, but as a fundamental expression of justice and human worth.

The Royal Committee exists not to symbolize tradition alone—but to give tradition a new purpose: to carry forward the values of equity, humanity, and collective responsibility into every action SayPro takes. And today, that means ensuring every door is open to persons with disabilities—physically, socially, economically, and institutionally.

This past year, we have deepened our commitment to this mission in tangible ways:

• We have supported SayPro’s efforts to embed accessibility across governance, learning, innovation, and service delivery.
• We have helped lead internal reviews to ensure our cultural, ceremonial, and leadership practices reflect the full diversity of our communities.
• And most importantly, we have listened—to voices that for too long were unheard. Because true leadership starts with humility and inclusion.

As we look ahead, I would like to highlight three pillars that will guide our continued support for SayPro’s accessibility agenda:

1. Cultural Inclusion and Representation
   We will continue to advocate for the visible inclusion of persons with disabilities in public ceremonies, leadership forums, and community engagements—because visibility shapes perception, and perception drives change.
2. Advisory Stewardship for Policy and Tradition
   We will provide guidance to ensure that accessibility is not just a technical matter, but a moral and cultural imperative in how SayPro designs programs and traditions—respecting both modern rights and ancestral values.
3. Legacy of Leadership and Learning
   We will nurture intergenerational leadership, encouraging young people—especially those with disabilities—to take up the mantle of change. We believe the next great leaders of accessibility are already among us; they simply need the platform to rise.

On this GAAD 2025, we remind ourselves that accessibility is not an act of benevolence—it is a right. And honoring that right requires not just awareness—but accountability, advocacy, and action.

To every organization listening today: include accessibility in your vision. To every leader: build systems that leave no one behind. And to every individual: know that your voice, your presence, and your experience matter deeply to this shared journey.

At SayPro, guided by our Royal Committee, we are committed to being stewards of a future where accessibility is part of every conversation, every plan, and every promise.

Let this day be more than a celebration—let it be a recommitment to justice for all.

Thank you—and may we walk forward together, in dignity and in unity.