Spain, Cordoba

Pablo Pineda

Pablo Pineda lives in Spain.
He is 42 years old.

Pablo Pineda is the first person in Europe with Down syndrome who has completed a university degree.
That was in 2004.
He works as a teacher since 2009.
Pablo Pineda speaks about his job:

"The families are still scared of it, that people with Down syndrome become teachers, or that they are partners of their sons or daughters...
I am tired of it, being the perpetual student, the child forever. Now my time has come to teach."

Pablo Pineda has also acted in a movie about his life.
The movie is called "Me too".
But Pablo Pineda doesn't want to continue working as an actor.
He says:

"I worked on this movie for only one reason: to empower other people with Down syndrome. And naturally, to change awareness in society in regards to people with Down syndrome.
To offer a different perspective on us."

He believes people with Down syndrome can achieve everything if they want to.
He says:

"My message to the parents, teachers, society is: Here is a person and he can learn. Not every person with Down syndrome can study, but he can learn.
And the individual limits in this regard should not be set by society but by the person themselves.  I got to where I am today because I wanted to get there."