An inclusive society is possible: collaboration between schools, universities, families, businesses, communities and the territory
November 9 (1989): it is the anniversary of the fall
of the Berlin Wall, of the fall of the barrier of barriers.
When will the wall that keeps people with disabilities separate?
The concept of an inclusive society for all, thanks to the achievements of scientific research, is spreading more and more among people. Today the greatest challenge is to promote the well-being of all at all ages and to guarantee a universal, plural, accessible policy capable of enhancing the differences and strengths of each individual, according to the principles of the United Nations Convention on rights of persons with disabilities.
The person at the center, the integral development of each person: this is our cornerstone for recognizing and promoting the infinite value of the person simply because he exists, just as he is.
For this reason, I would like first of all to refer to art. 10 of the Convention affirming the right to life of persons with disabilities: The States Parties reaffirm that the right to life is inherent in the human person and take all necessary measures to ensure the effective enjoyment of this right by persons with disabilities. This right must be defended in every moment of life, from conception to natural death, precisely because disability is a human experience that is in many cases still mysterious, which we are called to respect and know.
The concept of disability no longer indicates an absolute of the person as in the past but concerns the relationship between the person and his or her reference environment. In this sense, in recent years, especially with the advent of rehabilitation bioengineering, numerous barriers have been removed limiting disability, regardless of its severity.
Education, mobility and work are particular areas to which the Convention refers, inviting institutions and civil society to make a specific commitment. As for any person, the path of education, mobility, training and work experience are also essential moments for the life of a person with disabilities. It is therefore necessary to develop new paths, services and technologies that allow us to respond adequately to these needs.
From 3 March 2009 – Law no. 18 with which our country ratified the UN Convention – we await that what is contained in the Convention will (finally) be implemented more and more concretely by Italy and become part of our material Constitution and our daily life. No law or convention, in fact, can replace the responsibility of individuals and each of us, on this issue, is called to a great responsibility.
Salvatore Cimmino