What will the future be like for the people with disabilities? What will their life look like in a few years, and what will change in the world by 2118? We have asked children to draw it for us, by organizing Lesson of Dreaming in Armenia (Bridge of Hope NGO). During the lesson, we asked children to fantasize about how will be the life of the disabled people in 2118? They started to draw their own worlds, in which they didn’t mention anything related to their disability. It is because children do not have a social construct of disability, since after all, it is not people who are disabled, but rather the environment which disables them.
It turned out that all children want simple things and they don’t think about infrastructure or politics. All of us, regardless how different we are, have similar dreams and we need to provide opportunities for everyone to make these dreams come true.
Scroll down to see how children participate.
The children getting ready to draw how they see the future
Armenia, Bridge of Hope, Ijevan
Stepanyan Armenia,7 years old. He sees the future as peaceful, for Armenia and for the whole world
Mkhitaryan Edik, 6 years old. Dreams about super fast cars in the future, with which he can travel everywhere
Qamalyan Garnik, 11 years old. He aspires to be a movie director in the future
Alaverdyan Erik, 6 years old. In the future he imagines flying cars and wants to have one
Boridinov Areg, 6 years old. He wants to see peace in Armenia for the future
Matinyan Roza, 11 years old. In the future she sees herself a professional dancer, regardless of all the obstacles in that sphere for people with a disability
Sardyaryan Jora,12 years old. He believes that in future people are going to treat nature better, by not polluting it. He says that the future is as bright as the sun
Qamalyan Gor, 10 years old. In the future he is going to drive all over the world and visit new countries
Stepanyan Ani, 10 years old. In the future she wants to have a lot of friends
Iskandaryan Mkhitar,12 years old. In future he sees himself as a soldier protecting his country
What are the different challenges faced by the people with disabilities living in Western and Eastern Europe? More specifically, watch the video to compare their issues in Georgia, Germany, and Ukraine.
Despite some progress in architecture and infrastructure, there are still artificial obstacles which hinder the inclusion of all people.
Have you ever had a moment when you were unable to find appropriate words to express your feelings? Although, not out of happiness or joy, but rather, a sense of shock and turmoil. When I look back on my past, I recall only a few such memories. One of them, however, a recent one, is the most remarkable. As a disability rights speaker and an activist, I have educated myself on different topics regarding the history of disability rights around the world. During different periods of human history, people with physical and mental challenges have faced discrimination, bullying, and other humiliating and stigmatizing treatments, the purpose of which has been to dehumanize their differences, hence, nullify their worth in the society. It is a common practice to brutalize those who have unconventional and distinct characteristics that do not fall within the established societal standard, which thereafter, serves as a justification for treating such groups or individuals unfairly.
One of such acts that I have come across more recently, was the most traumatizing to accept, to an extent of physical discomfort and insomnia. I can clearly remember the moment when I first learned about the massacre or perhaps, better call it the slaughter, of the ill and disabled in Nazi Germany during World War II. I grew up knowing multiple horrifying stories of the Armenian Genocide (1915), and perhaps I should’ve become “immune” to such bloody episodes of the past. However, to be honest, sometimes I wish that I had not gone into so many details of T4, since in every story of a barbarically killed disabled person, I find myself and my reflection.
Picture taken at the psychiatric institution Schönbrunn in 1934, taken by the SS photographer Franz Bauer
According to historical sources, Hitler ordered the widespread massacre of the sick and disabled under the code-name Aktion T4, the Nazi euthanasia program that came into action to eliminate “life unworthy of living.” An estimated of 275,000 people with intellectual or physical disabilities were systematically killed from 1939 to 1941. This dreadful idea derived from the philosophy of “eugenics”, the radical belief in racial purity that Nazis supported. For this reason, the first victims of the Nazi regime were the people with disabilities.
Nevertheless, reading books and articles about T4 is different from visiting the place where the actual events happened. I reached my emotional climax during my actual visit to the memorial in Berlin, dedicated to the victims of Aktion T4. The name of the horrific operation derives from the street name Tiergartenstraße 4 (also the current location of the memorial), where during the Nazi regime the government sent out the orders to legally euthanize human beings, otherwise called “mercy killing”.
Five disabled Jewish prisoners, Buchenwald, Germany, 1938, Robert A. Schmuhl
It was already dark when me and my friends reached the memorial, after getting lost in Berlin’s complicated public transport. I don’t know whether it was the night that was cold or me who was so nervous, but the closer I was getting to the memorial the more I was shivering. I knew it was going to be emotional for me, yet I was unaware of the extent of it. The memorial is truly unique, especially at night. It is not the usual gigantic statue, or an art piece which evokes only minor aesthetic joy; instead, it is a long and big screen with abundance of historical information and individual stories of the victims illustrated publically. The first thing that I noticed was the variety of visual information, such as photographs of the victims and places such as hospitals with gas chambers. Moreover, there are scans of important documents related to T4, signed by Hitler.
Adolf Hitler walking down between the crowds of people with Swastikas in the background. Source not traceable
The photographs on the screen were shimmering a yellowish light and when you looked at them from a distance they create a contrast with the surrounding darkness and hence, also generate a sort of “dramatic tension” of the overall place. On top of that, it seemed as though, besides the dull and factual written texts, the photographs told their own story, making the memorial more tangible. Apart from all the visual information, I was surprised to see that audio versions are available as well. There are buttons with Braille inscriptions next to the small screens, which makes this memorial accessible also to people with visual impairment. All the information on the screen was organized similarly to a story arc, beginning with a catalyst, the middle and the end strictly following a chronological order.
However, in this story, the evil doesn’t get punished, unfortunately. A lot of doctors who participated in such a horrific crime continued their career even after the regime was shattered. One of such villains is Dr. Julius Hallervorden, a man who built his entire scientist career using the brains received as a result of operation T4.
The cemetery at the Hadamar Institute, Troy A. Peters, 1945 April 15
I felt so uneasy when looking at the photos and listening to the individual stories available at the memorial. After being there for only a few minutes, I felt the lump in my throat, foreshadowing my upcoming tears. All of those victims who were labeled by Nazis as “lives unworthy to live” were just humans like we are. Humans with dreams, hopes, aspirations, desires, humans who were taken away from their families and barbarically killed by doctors.
So many years have passed, such inhuman crime has been recognized, however, the pain from the past is carried to the present. It was unbearable for me to imagine that not too long ago, in the place that I was now, with my mobility scooter (which I named Ferrari although it is silver, not red), I wouldn’t even have the fundamental right to live. My life would’ve been forcefully taken away from me. I am uncertain if there is anything worse than not having the right to exist. Therefore, it is vital for the humanity to look at the past and recognize its mistakes. Without being aware of our past, we cannot move forward. We cannot create a society of inclusion and equal opportunities. Although, being politically correct, it is the individuals that we label “disabled,” thus blaming the individual for not fitting. I think, instead, we should call the environment “disabled,” meaning it is not equipped to welcome such people, whether architecturally, technologically, or methodologically. Often those barriers exist only in our minds. By only being aware, we can overcome and destroy these barriers.
- We ARE the society - 