Our group participated for the second time at Plai festival.
We prepared tree activities which make people to understand persons with disabilities, their struggle which are fighting day by day.
One of our activity was ‘’Living library’’, an action in which people talked with us, asked us questions about how it is to be a person with disabilities.
At the beginning people have been afraid to talk to us but after they have known us they started to ask us more questions and the discussion was quite enjoyable and relaxed.
People tried wheelchairs ,canes for the blind and read messages difficult to understand at the activity “Put yourself in my place”. We made these things for people to understand how it is to have a disability.
Those who came to our awning encouraged us with messages on a white sheet to keep going forward and not to give up by difficulties. Was very pleasant to receive encouragements.
After two days of activities, in the evening we enjoyed good music .Even we danced!
We could day that we had nice days, we met nice people, we had ‘’something to say’’ and our voice was heard.
With experience already from last year, our voices have joined again, this year also in the 8 edition at PLAI Festival.
We have prepared three workshops, designed to acknowledge the society on obstacles which persons with disabilities are encountered in day-to-day life. One of them, “ living library”, offered an opportunity to participants to be aware of our personal stories and for a few minutes to ask questions. Although at first they were moments when participants have been afraid to approach, once opened the discussion, the questions have not hesitated to appear, the dialog was made in a pleasant atmosphere and relaxing.
“Put yourself in my place” has brought a new challenge in the experience in a practical way a part of the difficulties that we are facing, such as it is for a blind person or seat user wheelchair, for people with intellectual disabilities when they receive information that is in a language easily understood.
Also, the last workshop entitled “Disability, what does it mean to you?” consisted in the fact that each person could leave a message. We was pleasantly surprised to see many of the messages of encouragement.
After two days of activities, in the evening we could enjoy great music. We even danced!
We can say that we had beautiful days in which we have met wonderful people, we’ve had “something to say” and our voice has been heard.
