As part of our commitment to advancing disability-inclusive international cooperation and humanitarian action, EDF has co-organised two editions of the European Regional Disability Summit. The first Summit in 2022 gathered over 600 participants online from across Europe and beyond, highlighting the need for concrete commitments to ensure persons with disabilities are fully included in development and humanitarian efforts. Building on this momentum, the 2024 edition, we brought together key stakeholders from Europe, neighbouring states, and Central Asia to continue the conversation.

Both events serve as regional milestones leading up to the corresponding Global Disability Summit.

European Regional Disability Summit 2022

The first European Regional Disability Summit was held on February 8, 2022 ahead of Global Disability Summit 2022.

The Summit discussed how international cooperation in the broader European region, including Eastern European, Western and Central Asian countries can become inclusive of all persons with disabilities. We had a successful event, with 1008 registrations and 637 actual attendees from all parts of the world and in particular Europe, including representatives of the disability movement, civil society, donors, governments, United Nations (UN) agencies and their country teams in the region.

Read a summary of ERDS2022 here including the Pre-Summit’s Outcome Document.

European Regional Disability Summit 2024

Following the model of the Global Disability Summit 2022 (GDS2022), the co-hosts of GDS2025 once again recommended the organisation of Regional Pre-summits. These gatherings aim to stimulate international collaboration and place emphasis on region-specific dialogues that will ultimately lead to the establishment of commitments. 

The German Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (BMAS), the European Disability Forum (EDF), and the German Disability Alliance are organised a High-level European Regional Disability Summit on December 6, 2024. This Summit will serve as a platform for fostering international cooperation and advice in situations of risk and humanitarian emergencies within Europe and outside Europe, for instance in some neighbouring States of the EU and Central Asia.  

Read a summary of ERDS2024 here including the Pre-Summit’s Outcome Document