It's just a disability
Kossakowski, Woroch and Peśla talked about disability during a special event that was held in the Ostrów Cultural Center. This event was one of the elements of the social campaign: "I am only disabled". Its goal is to break disability stereotypes and the mental barrier between people with disabilities and non-disabled persons.
- It was an evening full of emotions. Przemysław Kossakowski, Michał Woroch and Dariusz Peśla visited the Ostrów Cultural Center and talked about disability. The event was the part of the social campaign "I am only disabled", carried out by the city. We should remember that what separates people with disabilities with non-disabled persons is most often a mental barrier - emphasizes Beata Klimek, Mayor of Ostrów Wielkopolski.
As part of the campaign, in the streets of Ostrów Wielkopolski appeared billboards and posters with slogans such as "I just don't walk ... and you shouldn't care!" . The originator of slogans is Dariusz Peśla, journalist, writer, regionalist historian, activist for improving the situation of people with disabilities, also a person with a disability.
- The goal of this campaign is to change the mentality towards people with disabilities. I think we should open up to each other. Disability is not a contagious disease. It's like with hair colour or skills - everyone is different. The slogan "I'm only disabled", and in my case "I just don't walk" is supposed to show that I am an ordinary person who lives normally, and I only have limited mobility. Only - says Dariusz Peśla.
Others elements of the campaign are also pink bicycles that appeared in a public space. They are supposed to draw attention and remind that disability does not define anyone.
The meeting with Przemysław Kossakowski, Michał Woroch and Dariusz Peśla was one of the elements of the "I am only disabled" campaign.
-The aim of the campaign is to show people with disabilities, not necessarily through their disability. It should be more such a great social campaigns - emphasizes Michał Woroch, a traveler, photographer, creator of the "Wheelchair trip" project.
One of the guest of the event was Przemysław Kossakowski, a traveler, journalist and ambassador of people with disabilities.
- We are now in the process of breaking barriers between people with disabilities and non-disabled people. I think, that despite a big number of our national vices, we have a great potential for sensitivity and goodness. There should be definitely more campaigns like this one. However, these activities would not be possible if people were not interested, and they are here with us today, so it is an important topic worth mentioning - says Przemysław Kossakowski.
In Ostrów Wielkopolski there are around 7,000 people with disabilities. Every tenth of us is such a person. They suffer mainly from dysfunctions of the musculoskeletal system, vision defects and intellectual disabilities.
- Ostrów Wielkopolski is a city “with a heart” and people living here also have huge hearts. However, we still notice that there are a lot of barriers between people. The aim of the campaign "I'm only disabled" is to break stereotypes and encourage Ostrów residents to open up to others, because after all, disability does not define anyone - says Sebastian Górski, deputy mayor of Ostrów Wielkopolski.
The campaign "I am only disabled" - TV spots, billboards, leaflets, meetings of disabled people with residents" is a part of the project "E-Ostrów 2050 - Ecological, Energy, Economic City", which is implemented with the participation of funds obtained by the city from the Mechanism of the Financial European Economic Area under the "Local Development" programme.
The project's partner is the Ostrów’ citizens for Children of Special Care Association.
