On 5 May 2026, disabled people and allies across Europe and beyond will once again mark the European Independent Living Day!
Established in 2014, the day is an opportunity for the Independent Living movement to raise its voice, celebrate our achievements, and highlight the importance of the right of disabled people to live independently and be included in the community. Across Europe (and not only), individuals and organisations mark the day through a wide range of activities that bring visibility to the ongoing fight for rights and self-determination.
In 2026, ENIL will commemorate the day with an event in Brussels, focusing on the importance of legal capacity and the right of disabled people to make decisions about their own lives (you can find more information and register to the event here). Legal capacity is closely linked to independent living, as without the right to make decisions and have them respected, true independence cannot exist.
However, the European Independent Living Day is not only about what happens in Brussels. It is a day of action and celebration across Europe and beyond!
We invite our members, partners and allies to organise activities in their countries and communities to celebrate the day and promote the right to Independent Living. Your activities can connect with this year’s focus on legal capacity and supported decision-making, or highlight other issues that are central to your local context.
Activities can take many forms. We will organise an info session about it too, but below you can find some examples of activities you could do:
· Organise a public event, webinar or discussion
· Meet with policymakers or local authorities
· Hold a protest, awareness-raising action or campaign
· Share personal stories, experiences and messages online to highlight why independent living matters
· Draw attention to barriers to independent living in your country and call for concrete solutions
· Have a party or another fun activity
Whether big or small, every action helps strengthen our movement and make independent living more visible!
If you are planning an activity, please let us know so we can help promote it through ENIL’s networks and social media. As always, we will also highlight actions taking place across Europe in the lead-up to and on the day itself.
You can also take part by raising awareness on social media. Here are a few ways to engage:
· Share a short message or video explaining why independent living matters to you.
· Highlight a barrier to independent living in your country and what needs to change.
· Showcase a success story or positive example of independent living or supported decision-making.
· Post photos from your local activities on 5 May.
· Tag ENIL and use the campaign hashtags so we can share your posts.
If you post about the European Independent Living Day, consider using the following hashtags:
#ILDay2026
#IndependentLivingDay
#MyLifeMyChoice
By acting together across Europe, we can make the voice of the Independent Living movement stronger, more visible and impossible to ignore.
Join us on 5 May 2026 and let’s be once again loud and proud together!
For any questions or in order to share your activities, please get in touch with Kamil Goungor at kamil.goungor@enil.eu. If you have questions about the event in Brussels, you can contact Florian Sanden at florian.sanden@enil.eu.