{"id":2198,"date":"2026-10-19T09:45:20","date_gmt":"2026-10-19T08:45:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/orderofmalta.mt\/voto\/?p=2198"},"modified":"2026-10-19T13:52:41","modified_gmt":"2026-10-19T12:52:41","slug":"2198-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/orderofmalta.mt\/voto\/2198-2\/","title":{"rendered":"World Down Syndrome Day"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"xdj266r x14z9mp xat24cr x1lziwak x1vvkbs x126k92a\">\n<div dir=\"auto\"><strong>On the 21st March, we celebrate World Down Syndrome Day, a day to raise awareness.<div class=\"ffs-sep\" id=\"ffs-sep-51\" style=\"border-bottom:1px solid #ebebeb;  height:10px; \"><\/div><div class=\"clearfix\"><\/div><\/strong><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"x14z9mp xat24cr x1lziwak x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a\">\n<div dir=\"auto\">We invited Andrea Walzing to share a reflection for World Down Syndrome Day, to talk about her Prince Max, one of VOTO\u2019s Volunteers.<\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\"><div class=\"ffs-sep\" id=\"ffs-sep-43\" style=\"border-bottom:1px solid #ebebeb;  height:10px; \"><\/div><div class=\"clearfix\"><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"x14z9mp xat24cr x1lziwak x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a\">\n<div dir=\"auto\">21st March marks Trisomy 21 (21:3). But that\u2019s where the similarities end &#8211; every person with Down Syndrome is unique. Max is 16, and like many in our community, he\u2019s taught me this: happiness isn\u2019t of itself, the end goal &#8211; purpose is.<\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\"><div class=\"ffs-sep\" id=\"ffs-sep-76\" style=\"border-bottom:1px solid #ebebeb;  height:10px; \"><\/div><div class=\"clearfix\"><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"x14z9mp xat24cr x1lziwak x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a\">\n<div dir=\"auto\">The hardest part for families like ours are not our children, but the barriers and lack of opportunity placed in front of them. And yet, when people truly know individuals with Down Syndrome, they don\u2019t just love them &#8211; they are changed by them. Max didn\u2019t just change our lives &#8211; he changed what we see, what we value, and what we will no longer stay silent about. He gave us purpose.<\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\"><div class=\"ffs-sep\" id=\"ffs-sep-3\" style=\"border-bottom:1px solid #ebebeb;  height:10px; \"><\/div><div class=\"clearfix\"><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"x14z9mp xat24cr x1lziwak x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a\">\n<div dir=\"auto\"><strong>So thank you to those creating opportunities &#8211; for Max and for others like him &#8211; to serve, connect, reach their potential and bring joy.<\/strong><\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\"><div class=\"ffs-sep\" id=\"ffs-sep-72\" style=\"border-bottom:1px solid #ebebeb;  height:10px; \"><\/div><div class=\"clearfix\"><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"x14z9mp xat24cr x1lziwak x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a\">\n<div dir=\"auto\">If I had one wish, it would be this: that those in power do more to support people of mixed ability to fulfil their potential.<\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\"><div class=\"ffs-sep\" id=\"ffs-sep-64\" style=\"border-bottom:1px solid #ebebeb;  height:10px; \"><\/div><div class=\"clearfix\"><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"x14z9mp xat24cr x1lziwak x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a\">\n<div dir=\"auto\">In the interim I would like to wish Max and the rest of the <strong>Down Syndrome Community a very Happy World Down Syndrome Awareness Day.<\/strong><\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\"><div class=\"ffs-sep\" id=\"ffs-sep-79\" style=\"border-bottom:1px solid #ebebeb;  height:10px; \"><\/div><div class=\"clearfix\"><\/div><\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\"><strong>Do rock your socks in support of this delightful community.<\/strong><\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\">\n<div class=\"x14z9mp xat24cr x1lziwak x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a\">\n<div dir=\"auto\"><strong>Thank you<\/strong><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"x14z9mp xat24cr x1lziwak x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a\">\n<div dir=\"auto\"><strong>Andrea xxx<\/strong><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<blockquote>\n<div dir=\"auto\"><\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<div dir=\"auto\"><a href=\"https:\/\/orderofmalta.mt\/voto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/655649767_1362812402549408_4305787973822102558_n.jpg\" data-rel=\"lightbox-image-0\" data-rl_title=\"\" data-rl_caption=\"\" title=\"\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-2201\" src=\"https:\/\/orderofmalta.mt\/voto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/655649767_1362812402549408_4305787973822102558_n.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1500\" srcset=\"https:\/\/orderofmalta.mt\/voto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/655649767_1362812402549408_4305787973822102558_n.jpg 2000w, https:\/\/orderofmalta.mt\/voto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/655649767_1362812402549408_4305787973822102558_n-768x576.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" \/><div class=\"ffs-sep\" id=\"ffs-sep-15\" style=\"border-bottom:1px solid #ebebeb;  height:10px; \"><\/div><div class=\"clearfix\"><\/div><\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/orderofmalta.mt\/voto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/655906975_1362812395882742_2914644996024962902_n.jpg\" data-rel=\"lightbox-image-1\" data-rl_title=\"\" data-rl_caption=\"\" title=\"\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-2202\" src=\"https:\/\/orderofmalta.mt\/voto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/655906975_1362812395882742_2914644996024962902_n.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1404\" height=\"2048\" srcset=\"https:\/\/orderofmalta.mt\/voto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/655906975_1362812395882742_2914644996024962902_n.jpg 1404w, https:\/\/orderofmalta.mt\/voto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/655906975_1362812395882742_2914644996024962902_n-768x1120.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1404px) 100vw, 1404px\" \/><div class=\"ffs-sep\" id=\"ffs-sep-2\" style=\"border-bottom:1px solid #ebebeb;  height:10px; \"><\/div><div class=\"clearfix\"><\/div><\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/orderofmalta.mt\/voto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/655921131_1362812319216083_1892898885224713756_n.jpg\" data-rel=\"lightbox-image-2\" data-rl_title=\"\" data-rl_caption=\"\" title=\"\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-2203\" src=\"https:\/\/orderofmalta.mt\/voto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/655921131_1362812319216083_1892898885224713756_n.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1079\" height=\"811\" srcset=\"https:\/\/orderofmalta.mt\/voto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/655921131_1362812319216083_1892898885224713756_n.jpg 1079w, https:\/\/orderofmalta.mt\/voto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/655921131_1362812319216083_1892898885224713756_n-768x577.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1079px) 100vw, 1079px\" \/><div class=\"ffs-sep\" id=\"ffs-sep-15\" style=\"border-bottom:1px solid #ebebeb;  height:10px; \"><\/div><div class=\"clearfix\"><\/div><\/a><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>On the 21st March, we celebrate World Down Syndrome Day, a day to raise awareness. We invited Andrea Walzing to share a reflection for World Down Syndrome Day, to talk about her Prince Max, one of VOTO\u2019s Volunteers. 21st March marks Trisomy 21 (21:3). But that\u2019s where the similarities end &#8211; every person with Down [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":2199,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"post_formats":[],"guten_post_layout_featured_media_urls":{"full":["https:\/\/orderofmalta.mt\/voto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/656251046_1362812322549416_2652468878886198191_n.jpg",1725,2048,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/orderofmalta.mt\/voto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/656251046_1362812322549416_2652468878886198191_n-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/orderofmalta.mt\/voto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/656251046_1362812322549416_2652468878886198191_n.jpg",1725,2048,false],"medium_large":["https:\/\/orderofmalta.mt\/voto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/656251046_1362812322549416_2652468878886198191_n-768x912.jpg",768,912,true],"large":["https:\/\/orderofmalta.mt\/voto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/656251046_1362812322549416_2652468878886198191_n.jpg",1725,2048,false]},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/orderofmalta.mt\/voto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2198"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/orderofmalta.mt\/voto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/orderofmalta.mt\/voto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/orderofmalta.mt\/voto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/orderofmalta.mt\/voto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2198"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/orderofmalta.mt\/voto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2198\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2307,"href":"https:\/\/orderofmalta.mt\/voto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2198\/revisions\/2307"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/orderofmalta.mt\/voto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2199"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/orderofmalta.mt\/voto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2198"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/orderofmalta.mt\/voto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2198"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/orderofmalta.mt\/voto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2198"},{"taxonomy":"post_format","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/orderofmalta.mt\/voto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/post_formats?post=2198"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}