Accessible Festival at GTU

GTU's Center for Students with Disabilities (Accessible Education Center) recently organized the 3rd GTU Accessible Youth Festival to bring together people with various disabilities and the university community. The motto of this year's festival was "Join Hands for an Accessible Life from a Cocoon to a Butterfly" and the festival took place at GTU's festival area. It hosted dance, music and instrumental performances of special education centers, sportive activities, and awareness stands. Many institutions, organizations and associations contributed to the event along with the student societies of GTU, and people from every walk of life met and spent quality time under the roof of GTU.

"IT IS OUR DUTY TO CREATE and RAISE DISABILITY AWARENESS"

Making one of the opening speeches of the event, Teaching and Researching Faculty Member Assoc. Prof. Meral Elçi, PhD, Department of Management, GTU, said: “According to the data received from Turkish Statistical Institute for 2011, in our country there are about 5 million citizens who cannot see, cannot hear, cannot move, or who have a mental condition. In other words, persons with disabilities make up the 6.6% of Turkey's population. Accessibility, education, professional life, and health are the areas of life where people with disabilities are challenged and have difficulty the most. These areas actually make up the life itself. With social awareness and consciousness, many institutions, organizations, associations, and student societies at universities develop strategies and organize events to increase awareness and remove obstacles one by one for people with disabilities. As the GTU family, we also continue our activities to raise the society's awareness for people with disabilities and to increase their interaction with all segments of the society. Having disabilities does not mean a person is incapable. Remember, you cannot change the direction of the wind, but you can always adjust your sails.That is why it is essential not to be daunted by obstacles, to increase awareness on the matter, and to make sure the whole society gains awareness of it. At this point, we believe our festival will contribute to such goals and invite all of you to overcome obstacles hand in hand in the way of becoming an accessible society.