make way day 2023

'Make Way Day' is a campaign that brings the disability and wider community together to consider the needs of people with disabilities in the public spaces we all share.

It is led by the Disability Federation of Ireland and is a unique collaboration across Ireland and the voluntary and local government sectors ... but most of all it’s about people with disabilities.

Everyone can get involved. And everyone should get involved because we’ve discovered thoughtlessness is the big issue. We’ve compiled a terrible top three of obstacles that stop people with disabilities in their tracks.

1) Cars parked on footpaths.

2) Bicycles illegally parked.

3) Bins left on footpaths.

The revolution starts with you on Friday 22 September 2023!

Most people are unaware of the problems this behavior causes and we’ve found a friendly reminder is enough to get most people to change.

‘Make Way Day’ is not about pointing the finger at local authorities, other agencies, or randomly scattered activism. The whole point of the day is making the public aware of an issue that is fully within their power to change. It’s about one impactful, coordinated and decisive day of action.

Leading the charge are people with disabilities, local authorities, and disability organisations armed with an online tool that was specifically designed for Make Way Day. “Hey, this blocks my way!” is our message.

So, on Friday 22 September 2023, obstacles that block the way and complicate the lives of people with disabilities 365 days of the year are highlighted.

Better yet photos and videos are taken and posted and shared on social media using #MakeWayDay23. Our campaign and campaign video went viral and hundreds of thousands of people saw our campaign last year. We also trended as the number one hashtag on Twitter for the whole day! 

Access is the most basic of all disability rights. The public footpaths are for everyone and we can all agree on that. In a wider context, this one day focuses the mind on people with disabilities, their lives, and needs.

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