A 22-year-old Timisoara student has been selected to participate in a high-level multilateral youth conference on inclusion in Budapest this month.

Raluca Popescu, who has a physical disability, is the only one from Romania who will join 19 participants from 13 countries on May 29 for the consultative meeting on the inclusion of young people with disabilities in the Council of Europe’s youth activities.

She was chosen because of her role in Ceva de Spus, a Timisoara-based self-advocacy group of people with disabilities.

Raluca said she wanted to raise awareness of the need to include people with intellectual disabilities in education and training.

“People with intellectual disabilities have the right to education, training and lifelong learning activities, just like everybody else does,” she said. “If young people with disabilities have access to education they can have fulfilling jobs and make a contribution to their communities.”
Raluca will also promote the importance of using easy-to-understand language and pictograms to ensure people with intellectual disabilities can access information.

“It is very important that persons with intellectual disabilities to be directly involved in the educational process. Also flyers and websites about government and public services should be offered in easy-to-understand language with illustrative pictures so that more people can understand them,” she said.

Raluca said she looked forward to exchanging ideas with participants from all over Europe, and bringing the best practices back to Romania.

The Council of Europe, based in Strasbourg, France, seeks to protect democracy, human rights and the rule of law. It was founded in 1949 and has 47 member countries.