Prof. Daniele, President of Blind Italian
Union
Address at Rome, Theatro Olimpico
April 2003
We ask only for equalisation of opportunities, for a job and social
integration
Mr Chairman, dear President Pagano, ladies and gentlemen, I came here to
listen to you. I was invited by Mr Pagano. I thought it was important, it
was my task, but I am happy to take the floor, to be here, to have the
opportunity to greet you on behalf of the federation I chair. IÂ’d like to
welcome the foreign guest, it is also a honour to have them and it makes the
conference more prestigious. IÂ’d like to thank the President Vardakastanis.
The association I represent is historical. It was founded 60-70 years ago,
changing the destiny of the disabled in Italy. We still recollect the times when
people with disabilities were emarginated, cast aside not considered by the
civil code. So, the historical association worked to change life of the disabled
who conquered the right to training, healthcare, and so on.
This has been quite hard. The result of struggles on the part of the
association with the absence of culture, economic difficulties this moment is
delicate but there has never been a time in which the government had sufficient
means so the laws quoted by Mr Pagano have never been enforced due to the lack
of money, so we have worked to achieve a change an integration in the society.
This is the objective.
We ask only for equalisation of opportunities, for a job and social
integration. It is not unchangeable, it can be achieved. We have to conquer it
with science technology which pushes forward our target. So, there are new
hurdles and we need to work hard not to loose contact with reality. We are
engaged in this very hard battle as past means are not useful anymore.
We have a new culture. We have problems in school and multimedia does not
consider that there are people who cannot see. There are new market logics which
deny protection to the disabled and some social benefits are challenged. We know
that today competition is harsh and this is why protective laws need to be
upheld to achieve assistance but it is challenged by lack of resources. If money
is not there the municipalities were not able to enforce the law on integrated
services. They cannot keep the same level of existing services. We cannot access
information and so on.
We will continue our battle at Italian level. We shall reinforce the European
movement and the forum is important in this respect.
Thanks Mr. Vardakastanis to give prestige to this movement so that in the
future the disabled will be referred to the EC. Convention will increase the
rights so that equal dignity and opportunities are given so that the citizens
will not be excluded from the society.