Inclusion as an Instrument of Personal Experience
This series of events will focus on the adulthood and independence of people with disabilities. Sometimes people with disabilities do not fully enjoy their right to an independent and dignified life. Experts from the European Union and Russia will discuss best practices in the areas of assisted living, sex education, assistance and the organization of accessible spaces, and will try to find workable solutions that would make life freer and happier for everyone.
The experts will address three thematic aspects, namely 1) “Independent living”, 2) “The right to love: sex and disability”, and 3) “Accessible spaces and inclusion”, through lectures, presentations and workshops.
A flagship lecture “Personal and professional experiences of living in an inclusive community. The importance of creating carrying relations in social therapy” by Mats-Ola Olsson (Sweden) will kick off the set of events. He will speak about Norrbyvälle farm, a social therapeutic initiative that has been running for 35 years in the Swedish city of Järna. About 30 young people with autism live on the farm where they grow vegetables and fruit, and work at the local café and lunch restaurant. The expert will also give an overview of the Swedish state policy on support of people with disabilities, and will explain how attitudes towards people with disabilities have changed over time in the Swedish society.
The lecture will take place at the Garage Museum of Contemporary Art’s Lecture Hall at 19.00 on Tuesday, 3 March.
Admission is free but registration is required.
On Monday, 2 March, the French Institute will host a closed workshop by Mats-Ola Olsson “Social life as the foundation of individual development”. What does a human being need to live in a society with integrity, dignity, and freedom? How can we create supportive communities where young people with autism can develop these qualities? Mats-Ola Olsson will share his experience of working with people with autism and will discuss with the workshop participants possible steps to increase the inclusion of people with autism in Russia.
On Thursday, 5 March, Mats-Ola Olsson will be in Lipetsk with the workshop and the lecture.
The series of events will continue with lectures and workshops by Sabrina Ferraina (the Netherlands), Anna Halgren (Sweden), Kapka Panayotova (Hungary), Petr Eisner (Czech Republic) and others. The full schedule will be available on the websites of the EU Delegation to Russia and the Garage Museum of Contemporary Art.