At the workshop held with the theme of ‘Voice of Students: Disability Awareness on Campus’, disabled students İnci Genç, Ayten Büşra Kaya, Abdulkerim Göktuğ and Umutcan Yeşer studying at Near East University emphasized, “Let’s be aware of obstacles not just one day, but every day.”
In order to draw attention to the rights of disabled individuals and seek solutions to the difficulties they face, the “Disability Rights Monitoring Workshop” held at Near East University on “December 3 World Disability Day” was held with intense participation.
The workshop organized in collaboration with the Near East University Dean of Students, Disability Rights Monitoring Committee and Social Research and Development Center was also attended by the President of the Cyprus Turkish Orthopaedic Disabled People Association (KTOÖD) Günay Kibrit.
In the workshop held with the theme of “Students’ Voice: Disability Awareness on Campus”, four disabled students studying at Near East University made presentations. The students touched on how educational and social areas could be better organized for disabled individuals, and gave examples from their own lives, underlining the importance of social awareness and solidarity in overcoming obstacles. The opening speeches were made by Near East University Vice Rector Prof. Dr. Mustafa Kurt and Social Research and Development Center and Disability Rights Monitoring Committee (EHİK) President Prof. Dr. Zehra Altınay, while KTOÖD President Günay Kibrit also gave a speech.
We will continue to take concrete steps for disabled individuals to live an equal life!
In his speech, Near East University Vice Rector Prof. Dr. Mustafa Kurt stated that EHİK’s work has a critical role in supporting disabled individuals to participate more actively in social life. Stating that they are constantly working to minimize the difficulties disabled individuals face on university campuses, Prof. Dr. Kurt said, “As Near East University, we are taking all necessary steps for disabled individuals to provide an equal and accessible life.” In her speech, Prof. Dr. Zehra Altınay, who emphasized that in addition to raising awareness, concrete steps should be taken to increase the living standards of disabled individuals, said, “Starting with our faculties, we can spread this awareness to every segment of society. We can make the lives of these individuals more meaningful and easier by eliminating the obstacles they face in every field from education to business life.”
Günay Kibrit: “The steps taken by Near East University will be an example for other schools and will contribute to developments in this field.”
KTOÖD President Günay Kibrit, who reminded that she graduated from Near East University, emphasized the importance of taking concrete steps in addition to drawing attention to the rights of disabled individuals in the events such as this workshop. Kibrit said, “It is a great pleasure to see that the number of disabled individuals receiving education here is high. By improving campus conditions, more disabled individuals can be provided with educational opportunities and this number can be increased.” Kibrit, who also touched upon the difficulties experienced in the practices regarding the rights of the disabled in the country, said, “We have been talking about sidewalks, ramps, transportation problems for years. In addition to all these awareness statements, I do believe that urgent steps and actions should be taken.”
The message of ‘Let’s be aware of obstacles not just one day, but every day’ was given!
Making presentations at the workshop, Near East University Atatürk Faculty of Education Special Education Teaching master’s student İnci Genç, Faculty of Law Justice Vocational School second-year student Ayten Büşra Kaya, Faculty of Sports Sciences Coaching Education first-year students Abdulkerim Göktuğ and Umutcan Yeşer expressed the difficulties they encounter in their own social and educational lives. The students also touched upon the measures that can be taken to overcome these difficulties.
Underlining that action should be taken regarding the problems they experience, İnci Genç said, “I am receiving my education with the infrastructure in the school, but improvements should be made for us in the road and transportation areas. With the voice stop system, we can move independently and travel alone.” Ayten Büşra Kaya said, “Real change will come with steps taken by society, not just one person. The real obstacle for us is the exclusionary views and unconsciousness in society when we go out on the street, and the steps not taken to make our lives easier.”
Abdulkerim Göktuğ and Umutcan Yeşer, who stated that they played basketball in the TRNC Foundations Wheelchair Basketball Team, were selected for the Turkish National Team and came second and third in the European Championship, said in their joint presentation, “What makes us who we are is not our arms, eyes and ears, but our hearts. Let’s remove the obstacles in our minds and hearts.”
