Fondazione Compagnia di San Paolo marks World Down Syndrome Day 2024 by supporting the new campaign launched by CoorDown. Just a few days since its launch, the film “Assume that I can” has already recorded more than 100 million views. The major international awareness-building exercise intended to counter the stereotypes that affect the lives of people with Down syndrome has become a worldwide phenomenon.
World Down Syndrome Day is an international event held today to spread awareness and knowledge about Down syndrome, to create a new culture of diversity, and to promote respect and inclusion in society for all people with Down syndrome.
To mark World Down Syndrome Day 2024 on the theme of “No to stereotypes!” , on 14 March this year CoorDown launched “ASSUME THAT I CAN”: an international awareness-raising campaign created in collaboration with the SMALL agency of New York to say enough to low expectations and preconceptions about the lives of people with Down syndrome and to create real inclusion.
In just 4 days, “Assume that i can” has achieved global success, breaking every online record and involving millions of people in a global conversation..
From 14 to 18 March, the video posted on CoorDown’s social media sites has gone viral reaching over 100 million views on TikTok, Instagram, X, Linkedin, Youtube and Facebook. The 90-second cinematic story crossed the boundaries of the community of people with disabilities, sending a universal message, touching on every diversity and involving anyone who feels undervalued and limited by the low expectations imposed on them by society.
The international campaign originated in Italy with CoorDown, but benefits from the contribution of various international associations, which have simultaneously launched the film globally: Canadian Down Syndrome Society, National Down Syndrome Society, Global Down Syndrome Foundation, Down’s Syndrome Association UK, Down Syndrome Australia and New Zealand Down Syndrome Association and the members of Fundació Catalana Síndrome de Down.
With the support of Fondazione Compagnia di San Paolo and Fondazione Cariplo, this new campaign launched by the National Coordination of Associations of People with Down Syndrome, entitled “ASSUME THAT I CAN”, is specifically intended to contribute to raising awareness so as to put an end to prejudices, moving towards the full inclusion of people with Down syndrome, promoting their potential.
Starting from 14 March, the CoorDown social media channels have filled up with the testimonies of people with Down syndrome and their families, including lots of useful content giving real-life examples of all the stereotypes they have faced and the prejudices they have overturned.
Watch “ASSUME THAT I CAN”, an energy-filled short film intended to express the need to enact real change, so that the dreams and plans of people with Down syndrome can come true.