World Down Syndrome Day

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Click here to discover the United Nations’ recognition of World Down Syndrome Day

The Global Down Syndrome Foundation organized a World Down Syndrome Day celebration at the Children’s Hospital Colorado on March 21, 2011. The hospital’s large entryway was turned into center-stage with music, food, giveaways and performances.

The highlight was the football players and cheerleaders that participated in the Foundation’s Dare to Play Football and Dare to Cheer Camps. The football players entertained the crowd with the Hawaiian Haka dance and the cheerleaders had no problem getting spectators into the program.

On hand were the senior scientists and medical staff of the Linda Crnic Institute for Down Syndrome and its medical care center, the Anna and John J. Sie Center for Down Syndrome.

Special guests included Denver Bronco legend John Lynch, Miss Colorado and Miss Teen Colorado, Denver Bronco Cheerleaders, and Valor Christian High School Football players and coaches.

Down syndrome awareness has been celebrated on March 21 in several countries by various Down syndrome organizations. March 21 (3/21) is a representation or a symbol of the genetic make-up of Down syndrome – three copies of chromosome 21 instead of two.

The idea of a World Down Syndrome Day began when Dr. Balbir Singh in Singapore publically called for a day in which people with Down syndrome would be celebrated and advocated. Soon thereafter, Stylianos E. Antonarakis, a renowned scientist and Down syndrome researcher, formally proposed March 21 as World Down Syndrome Day to Down Syndrome International. With events organized by the Sikh Community, Down Syndrome International, and local community groups, the first World Down Syndrome Day was officially launched in Singapore on March 21, 2006. Hundreds of organizations worldwide now celebrate World Down Syndrome Day on March 21 each year.

Video from World Down Syndrome Day