Music and drama

“Don’t dis my ability”: giving persons with disabilities a stage

Music has the power to transform thinking and inspire people to act. Through drama, we can better understand ourselves, our communities and our world, and we can use this knowledge to have a greater impact. We use music and drama as valuable tools to spread our most important messages about the inclusion of persons with disabilities.

The Great Walpoleans, a music and drama group established by OneFamilyPeople in 2008, are a prime example of what can happen when we give persons with disabilities a platform to let their talents shine. Comprised of the speech and hearing impaired, as well as physically challenged and able-bodied persons, everyone in the group advocates for equal rights regardless of his or her ability.

Watch and listen!

Take a look at some of the Great Walpolean's most influential works:

  • ‘Leave No One Behind’: a musical album campaign demanding an end to discrimination against persons with disabilities.

  • ‘OneBillionRising’ song: calling on their parents, leaders and the international community to rise against violence.

  • “All Rise Against Ebola” song combined with a dramatisation of the signs and symptoms of the virus as well as measures to avoid contracting it.

  • In collaboration with UN Women and OneFamilyPeople, a week long musical concert to raise awareness of women’s rights and gender equality in commemoration of 16 Days of Activism against gender based violence.