Together We Can Do So Much

A BLOG BY DYUTI BASU

“TOGETHER WE CAN DO SO MUCH”- Helen Keller

 

Trinayani World Disability Day celebrations act as an impetus for the installation of a ramp in CCD Camac Street, Kolkata

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Den coming up the newly-constructed ramp

Persons with disabilities, “the world’s largest minority”, often face barriers to participation in all aspects of society, whether they are physical, environmental, legal and policy-based, social and attitudinal, or relating to communications technology (ICT). As a result, they do not have equal access to society or services, including education, employment, health care, transportation, political participation and justice.

International Day of People with Disability  (December 3) is an international observance promoted by the United Nations since 1992 to promote an understanding of disability issues and mobilize support for the dignity, rights and well-being of persons with disabilities.

 

Trinayani has celebrated World Disability Day since the year 2007. Different kinds of programmes were planned for each year which promoted the spread of awareness regarding persons with disabilities and, wherever possible, initiated tangible changes.

Good News for Coffee Lovers

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The ramp outside of CCD Camac Street, Kolkata

Change for the better can take place at unexpected times. During our World Disability Day events on the 4th, 5th and 6th of December, 2012, in partnership with Café Coffee Day in five cities, in Kolkata, our wheelchair user friends were invited to interact with the audience at the Café Coffee Day outlet at Camac Street. However, they had great trouble navigating the steps outside the shop. Trinayani initiated a conversation with the local CCD office, to inspire them to install a ramp at the outlet for the benefit of persons with mobility impairment. We are pleased and thankful that the Café Coffee Day Kolkata staff took on this initiative and, with the support of Ankur Advocacy Group,  CCD CAMAC STREET KOLKATA INSTALLED A RAMP IN DECEMBER 2012.

Our Most Recent Celebration Was In 2013

We celebrated “International Day for Persons with Disabilities” or the “World Disability Day” 2013 by producing a 30-second film “Leave No One Behind” dubbed into Hindi, Marathi, Bengali and Tamil which was aired by national and local Satellite channels as a Public Service Announcement, on and around December 3rd. Here is a link to the English version https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bG0hLLPCNPM

World Disability Day 2014: Our Plan for This Year

For the celebration this December, we want to stage an inclusive musical in Kolkata with the objective of making people aware of our organization and the work we do. Our friend Varsha Sheth is conceptualizing the musical and scripting it. Hopefully, with celebrity endorsement and press support, our show will create a buzz, thereby making inroads into new educational institutions and corporate houses smoother.

More information will be provided as our plans develop. We hope to see you there!