Celebrating Inclusion and Abilities: Singapore’s Enabling Lives Festival Returns With 3rd Edition, Featuring Over 30 Immersive Experiences & Workshops by Inclusive Businesses & Partners

• The four-day festival will take place from 30 November to 3 December 2023 across Singapore, with an open house celebration on 2 December 2023 hosted by Senior Parliamentary Secretary (SPS) Eric Chua
• Themed "Celebrate Inclusion and Abilities”, this year’s festival features dialogues, performances and immersive experiences aimed at changing public perceptions about persons with disabilities and building a more inclusive society

Singapore, 7 November 2023 — SG Enable will return with its third edition of Enabling Lives Festival, an annual event championing disability inclusion in Singapore.

The four-day festival will run from 30 November to 3 December 2023. For the first time, it will be held across Singapore, with over 54 local and international partners showcasing the collaborative efforts of persons with disabilities and their caregivers. This includes inclusive businesses, social enterprises and non-profit organisations. 

The annual event is held in conjunction with International Day of Persons with Disabilities, and the inaugural edition was held as a virtual event in 2020, with last year’s physical edition seeing close to 3,000 visitors. 

The festival marks one of the highlights of SG Enable’s 10th anniversary celebrations this year, and centres around the theme of "Celebrating Inclusion and Abilities” anchored on three pillars — Celebrate, Collaborate and Champion. 

“Thanks to the invaluable support of our partners and sponsors, this year’s festival is more than just an event – it is an invitation for Singaporeans to join us in celebrating different abilities to build a future that leaves no one behind," said Ms Emily Ong, Director of Enabling Village and Director of Strategy & Innovation at SG Enable. “We hope to encourage everyone to take positive action and champion the inclusion of persons with disabilities.” 

Zero Project x SG Enable Forum: Enabling Disability Inclusion Through Assistive Technology

The festival kicks off on 30 November with the inaugural Zero Project x SG Enable Forum, a gathering of more than 100 innovators from all over the world to champion sustainable and impactful solutions for persons with disabilities. The forum features a keynote presentation, panel discussions and breakout sessions for networking and exploration.

Founded by Austrian non-profit Essl Foundation, the Zero Project is a global and research-driven initiative to support the implementation of the United Nations’ Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. This forum will be Zero Project’s first foray into Southeast Asia and marks the start of a long-term strategic partnership with SG Enable.

Enabling Village Open House: Bridging Communities with Inclusive Local Artists & Businesses

The Enabling Village Open House on 2 December takes centre stage at the festival, with Mr Eric Chua, Senior Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth & Ministry of Social and Family Development hosting the event. 

Photo Credit: Edward Hendricks

Celebrating the first inclusive community space in Singapore dedicated to integrating persons with disabilities, the Enabling Village will feature:

• Sensory installations and immersive art and storytelling experiences led by artists with disabilities;
• A curated food street showcasing inclusive local F&B businesses such as Don8uri, MINDS and Ashraf Café;
• Pop-up music performances by musicians with disabilities;
• The i’mable Gift Market, where 27 participating makers will promote and sell artisanal works by talented persons with disabilities, and
• The Mediacorp Celebrities Charity Fair, where visitors can meet and greet their favourite Mediacorp artistes. Proceeds from the sale of celebrities' pre-loved items and handmade creations will go towards the Goh Chok Tong Enable Fund, which supports persons with disabilities.