ND PRIDE DAY 2023
What’s STRONG with you?
You are invited to join us in celebrating Neurodiversity Pride Day, the international day of pride for neurodivergent individuals and their allies. As proud members of the neurodivergent community, we invite you to join us on June 16th, 2023 for the 6th edition of this incredible event.
On this special day, we reflect solo, or come together, to celebrate the uniqueness and diversity of our neurodivergent identities, and to recognize the value that we bring to our societies. It’s a day to embrace and honor our differences, to stand together in solidarity, and to celebrate the beauty and strength of our shared experiences.
This is your invitation to join in this celebration of neurodiversity, as neurodivergents organize activities around the globe and come together to proudly embrace our identities and stand up for our rights. Let’s make this a day to remember, filled with love, acceptance, and celebration of all that makes us who we are!
ND PRIDE DAY 2023
What’s STRONG with you?
You are invited to join in celebrating Neurodiversity Pride Day, the international day of pride for neurodivergent individuals and their allies. As proud members of the neurodivergent community, we invite you to join us on June 16th, 2023 for the 6th edition of this incredible event.
On this special day, we reflect solo, or come together, to celebrate the uniqueness and diversity of our neurodivergent identities, and to recognize the value that we bring to our societies. It’s a day to embrace and honor our differences, to stand together in solidarity, and to celebrate the beauty and strength of our shared experiences.
This is your invitation to join in this celebration of neurodiversity, as neurodivergents organize activities around the globe and come together to proudly embrace our identities and stand up for our rights. Let’s make this a day to remember, filled with love, acceptance, and celebration of all that makes us who we are!
Embrace neurodiversity, celebrate ND PRide!
ND Pride Day 16 - 6 - 23ND Pride Day has been organized since 2018, every year in June (16 and/or 18) to support acceptance, inclusion and appreciation in society of people who are most unlike most others. And also to have a day to celebrate your own unique traits, and how it benefits the world. We all have something unique and awesome to contribute, and on this day we invite all to show what they are proud of!
On Neurodiversity Pride Day, we as neurodivergents take a moment to reflect on what we are proud for in our own life, the love we bring to our families and friends, the value we add to teams and the everyday courage it takes to be yourself.
A day to turn the page of a difficult past or present, and rejoice in the fact, that there is only one person like yourself. And that this uniqueness, is something to be proud of. You, be you, and this day invites all to celebrate your own way, the way you want to do so yourself.
1 City
4 Cities
3 Countries
6 Countries
2.5 Million reached
You are invited too
June 16 2023 will be the 6th edition of Neurodiversity Pride Day, the day of pride to celebrate neurodivergent uniqueness, and how each of us add beauty to an otherwise neurotypical society. It’s a day organized by & for neurodivergents, and their allies.
The program for ND Pride 2023:
VR Event
There is going to be another wild VR event hosted in the “Pride universe of the Neurodiverse”. All are welcome to a unregulated hangout and meet others in the “Friends Room“, both on desktop as with VR gear.
You Time
ND Pride, is more about YOU, than about anybody else. If there is anything you choose to do today, we’d recommend a moment to reflect, for each of us neurodivergents. To remember what we bring to the world. To smile, knowing it’s a lot. In the “You Room“, the ND Pride Anthem “Own Kind” can be heard.
NeuroEmergence Online Summit
A free 2 day conference with experts and neurodivergents sharing in a online gathering. Tickets are free , the theme of this edition is “Owning Your Stories” and is created by the Neurodiversity Education Academy.
Local Activities in participating nations
The list of local activities in NL, UK, USA, Australia, Phillipines, Egypt, Belgium, France and many more, will be too long to share. But there are allways Neurodivergents looking to join in. Join in, or even better: organize your own event. We welcome activities from all nations, that respect the 3 basic guidelines.
Neurodiversity Keynote of the Year
Every Year we ask a daring pioneer to speak about Neurodiversity. In 2023, we are grateful for Professor Nancy Doyle to be the Keynote Address speaker of 2023. See all the 2023 Keynotes on the keynote page.
Support & Cocelebrations
There are many ways to support the celebrations. Share a ‘happy neurodiversity pride day’ message on your social media channels, to pass on the positivity to others. You can use #NDpride #NeurodiversityPride #Neurodiversityprideday or #NeurodivergentPride as hashtags. ND Pride Day, Neurodiversity Day, and Neurodivergent Pride Day are accepted alternatively used names for Neurodiversity Pride Day celebrations in June.
NeuroDance
During Covid times, we cancelled our “big” dance event, and created the largest VR Partyroom with live DJs. The dream of dancing together face-to-face, will be reinstated in 2023, with the first all-night NeuroDance! To organize your own NeuroDance locally, and stream NeuroDance music to your location to dance to, contact us for support.
Hoisting the NeuroInclusive Capital Flag
In some cities, really good things are happening to support neurodivergent folks, and in that effort, the municipality can be a shining star for other cities to be inspired by. In 2023, the ND Pride Flag is hoisted for the first time, in a city that moves towards neuroinclusion. Hoisting these flags, will become a new tradition in ND Pride celebrations.
UNITED NATIONS World Calendar bid
In gratefulness for all supporters, sponsors and enthusiasts, and with great love for all who celebrated ND Pride in the past, our main growth aim for the next 2 years is for our day of pride, to be accepted on a global level: there will be a bid towards the UN to have ND Pride enlisted on the United Nations World Calendar in 2024.
Neuro Inclusive Politician Award
Every 2 years, a politician is selected from a group of nominees, as the winner of the neuroinclusive politician award, commonly called: “NIP”. This action is currently only in the Netherlands.
EU "7th Pillar" Policy Request
The EU action is calling for the European Commission to include neurodiversity as the 7th pillar of inclusion, in order to foster acceptance and accomodation for all EU neurodivergents. The official start of this project is on ND Pride 2023.
Neurodiversity Networks meetups
June 16 is the best day in the year to launch, or meetup with your neurodiversity network. This is a group of ND peers in your own organization. If your organization does not have a network, yet, you can invite fellow neurodivergents to drink coffee or lunch together.
Stride Sports Activities
Stride is the first collective neurodivergent sports event, where we will be going the distance together. Join in, download the app and do your own stride in the week of June 16th. Solo, as a duo or united as a group. Visit the Stride site for more information.
Fundraising for Pride
The implementation of many ND Pride activities is dependent upon funding for it. While we as a non-profit group have funded allmost all costs in the past, providing all participants free tickets, we can definitively confirm some of the larger and smaller activities, like the ND Kids Club or XL Stride events in 20 countries, only when they are financially possible. Donations for ND Pride are accepted by the Neurodiversity Foundation (charity based in NL).
CELEBRATING EACH NEURODIVERGENT and ALL NEUROTYPES.
The ND Pride Day was founded by neurodivergents, created for ALL Neurodivergents to celebrate themselves and all other NDs in their world.
The Neurodiversity Foundation is the hub for organizers worldwide, as the initial founders, but multiple organizations organize internationally.
Pride Stands Together.
In ND Pride we have created a day for ALL neurodivergents, like Dyslectics, Adhdoers, Tourettians and so many more. ND Pride is for all of us, its our day.
We are inspired by others, but we are not directly connected to other pride movements like LGTBQIA+pride, Mad Pride or Autistic Pride. We stand with them, we support them, but we are different initiatives, with our own ways.
MADE BY & for NEURODIVERGENTS. All Welcome
All are welcome to join ND Pride celebrations, NT allies included. And, if you abide by ‘The 3 rules”, each Neurodivergent can also create their own activity.
We also welcome partners, most are non-profit community partners, but we also allow for corporate partners that have ability to create jobs and roles for neurodivergents.
How to Celebrate?
ND Pride is created by & for neurodivergents so: You can celebrate it any way you want. You can celebrate by yourself. Or with your friends. Or with your team. Or meet others in the activities. Set up your own ND network. Do a Stride Action. Join the conference. Share ‘Happy Neurodiversity Pride Day’ online. Listen to the yearly keynote on Neurodiversity. Check out ND Artists and poets. Send a warm message to a neurodivergent you like….
Celebrate the day, in your own unique way.
Keynotes 2023
Neurodiversity Keynote 2022 by Lyric Holmans
VR talk for Neurodiversity Pride Day 2022 by Neurodivergent Lou
Logo
The Neurodiversity Pride logo is a ‘Flying kite soaring without a rope, trailed by a ribbon of infinity signs’.
Some of the main programmatic elements will be hosted on www.neurodiversityprideday.com.
Stride sports activities will be hosted via strideapp.neurodiversityprideday.com
Information can also be found at the website of the Neurodiversity Foundation: neurodiversiteit.nl
Theme 2023
The theme of the year is:
“What’s STRONG with you?”
Recent ND Pride Day themes being:
- 2018: You, be you
- 2019: Celebrate your own way’ / Vier je eigen feestje
- 2020: Celebrating neurodivergent uniqueness
- 2021: Embrace your differences / omarm je andersheid
- 2022: Differentness takes courage
- 2023: What’s STRONG with you?
June 16th 2023
We have been celebrating the first 5 editions of Neurodiversity Pride Day on June 18th, with endorsement of Autistic Pride organizers, who used to organize on that day too. But now that our own ND Pride day has gotten so large, and may become an actual and significant contender for their spotlight, we have decided to permanently move the day to June 16th, in a preemptive move of solidarity, love and compassion towards their future needs, in our belief that; ‘Pride Stands Together’. This move also allows us to make a pledge to be our own recognized day in the UN World calendar.
As the original source and founders of Neurodiversity Pride Day, the organizing team (including the ND-led Neurodiversity Foundation based in the Netherlands) will be inviting all partners to compassionately support this move to June 16th.
June 16th 2023 –
Growth Aims
The main growth aims for Neurodiversity Pride Day 2023:
- To have the 16th of June marked as the international day of Pride for neurodivergent individuals, and have it enlisted in the UN World Calendar. Thereby giving all individuals with ADHD, Tourette and so on, their own annual day of pride. This will be our main growth aim from 2023-2025.
- To have a day, where we support 5-10 leading organizations* in showing their inclusive and or supportive culture towards neurodiversity in the workplace. Thereby giving hope to NDs, and providing shining examples for other organizations to be inspired by and follow in years and policies to come.
- To set a worldwide example of shared pride, similar to how LGTBQIA+ Pride have their ‘parades’, neurodivergent have their Stride sports action, of neurodivergents, each individually, performing a sports related feat on friday June 16th, where their ‘meters traversed’ in any of the 10 sports activities are added together to one big shared goal (in 2022: first successful tests with the app, in 2023: around the moon with 11k, in 2024 around the world with 44k, and in 2025 to the moon, with 440k). The feeling of this action is both ‘sense of excellence’ and ‘allowance for the whimsical’. We hope in the future to have this as a fundraising option, to generate funds for Pride Day, and for other ND positive initiatives. Our aim is to go around the moon, an go the distance with NDs worldwide, each in their own way, each in their own space, but somehow, together.
June 16th 2023 – program aims
The main programmatic aims for Neurodiversity Pride Day
- To create a day, where neurodivergents worldwide, have a moment of reflection about what they contribute, what beauty their uniqueness brings to the world. This pillar has been called “You (-time)”.
- To create a day, where both ND as NT, celebrate the value of neurological difference in society, personal life, universities and the workplace. Often done, via subtle ways like ‘posting on social media’, ‘enlisting in the organizational calendar’ and wishing others a ‘happy neurodiversity pride day’. This pillar has been called ‘Co-celebration’.
- To create a day, where NDs in the workplace, can find each other, meet each other, and bond over a sense of solidarity. This is often done via ‘luncheons’, ‘groups meet & greets’ and sometimes organized sessions where ND workers can ‘speak’ or ‘be heard’. This pillar is called “ND Networks”.
- To create a day, where local organizations can self-organize small-scale events for the ND group they serve. Often done, via a written or oral speech with an inclusive message from an organizational leader, social picnics for ND team members and educational sessions, like a presentation. This pillar is called “Local Activities”
- To create a day, where neurodivergents can, individually, with a partner, or with a group of team members or friends, can do a “Stride” action. Often this is a walk, a bike ride, but can also be done by moonwalking, dancewalking, or any more ‘fun’ ways to move forward.
- To create a day, where the activities are free for all, accessible to the degree we have the funds to organize it thusly, and still create an ‘exciting’ event; in virtual reality. We have created the ‘Pride Universe of the Neurodiverse” in the metaverse as an option to organize. Often done, via an exhibition of artworks created by (young) ND artists, called “ND Art Expo”, via creative sessions in any of the 11 rooms, or as a meeting place for NDs to make friends. We call this pillar “Virtual Reality Event”.
- To create a day, where we can host and share the wisdom and insights on neurodiversity, by experts and advocates, by an online ‘forum’ that shares sessions, panels and presentations, including the annual keynote. In 2022 renamed to the 3-day “NeuroEmergence Online Summit”. In 2023 we aim for a 2-day “NeuroEmergence” event on June 16 & 17th.
- To create a annual speech, by a daring pioneer, that speaks inspiration to neurodivergents and can be freely shared. In 2023 the keynote will be by Jessica McCabe from HowToADHD. In 2022 the keynote was by Lyric Holmans, the Neurodivergent Rebel. In 2021 by Judy Singer, the sociologist that coined neurodiversity. In 2020 by dr Baken. In 2019 by dr Van Dijk. And in 2018 by Tjerk Feitsma, the founder of the Neurodiversity Foundation. In dutch language called ‘Neurodiversiteitsrede’, the imperfect english translation is slated as “Annual Neurodiversity Address”.
Guidelines
There are many more exciting opportunities to grow this day to scale and the Neurodiversity Foundation and their allies are excited about any partners joining in to this day of Pride. There are things, we’d love our partners to understand:
- Neurodiversity Pride Day, is clearly a day focussed on the positive, and will remain so. There are the ‘three rules’ for organizers: no discrimination of any kind, no focus on sad stories, and NDs have to be part of the event, otherwise it can’t be called ‘Neurodiversity Pride celebration’. We also hope, for clarity, that our partners use the name (Neurodiversity Pride Day or Neurodiversity Pride celebrations) when used in a text, and the Neurodiversity Pride logo (the kite soaring without strings), however any hashtag with variations (like #NDpride of #neurodiversitypride) are also appropriate.
- Neurodiversity Pride Day does not specifically focus on schools, for this is the main focus of NC Week in March, founded by ND Activist Siena Castellon, which we love & support in solidarity.
- Traditionally, all attendance of Neurodiversity Pride celebration events have been free, for all. This is, however, not a ‘rule’ and we understand that in the future, certain events will have ticketing to cover costs. Pragmatism is key.
Timeline
- Post-pride ‘rest’: Juli 2022
- Start fundraising efforts: August 2022
- Start Neurodiversity Pride Day preparations: September 2022
- Start recurring small-scale ‘neuroemergence events’: October 2022
- Call for organizations to join in next Pride edition: December 2022.
- Launch theme of the year: February 14th 2023
- Start campaign: February/March 2023
- Start invitations: April 2023
- Start marketing campaign: May/June 2023.
- Start activities: June 2023 (most in the week of June 16th).
First Quote
Quote from the very first Annual Neurodiversity Pride Day Keynote in 2018:
“We have come a long way, but to become a fully accepted part of the populace, a new wave of emancipation for our kind is needed, and this day will mark that wave. And it will mark it every year.
The Neurodiversity Pride Day is a day (…) to show pride and appreciation for neurodivergent minds. It’s a day to come out of hiding and to be proud for being uniquely different from the norms. It’s a day to celebrate the uniqueness of your own neurological potential. Or….. to appreciate and support those neurodivergents you have in your own life. To celebrate what makes us extraordinary in an otherwise NT world.
This year 2018, it’s the very first Neurodiversity Pride day, celebrating all neurodivergents. It’s starting in the Netherlands. But the world is large, and our love is not bound by arbitrary countrylines. All neurotypes deserve love, appreciation and acceptance, from others but also from their own selves, and since this day of Pride simply does not exist, we are creating this for all Neurodivergents & allies in the world. So let’s celebrate today. And invite all our friends, heroes and peers from countries everywhere in the world to the party next year. All Neurodivergent kinds are welcome, and embraced equally, for celebrating neurodiversity means celebrating the uniqueness that is in all of us. And in celebrating neurodiversity, we celebrate the wish to have a society that embraces all neurotypes, this, fellow neurodivergents, this, is our day: Neurodiversity Pride Day.“
Keynote by Tjerk Feitsma.