Sziget Festival aims to break down disability taboos

euronews (in English)

A venue at Budapest's Sziget Festival aims to raise awareness of disabilities through various activities that simulate what it's like to live with them.

Transcript

00:00This is Excessland, one of Seagate's festival's most unique venues.

00:07Here, festival goers can experience what it's like to live as a person with a disability.

00:14There are a range of activities, from wheelchair fencing to painting without hands.

00:20I like this experience. It's fun to try something else, but it also makes you realize,

00:25wow, without my hands it's really hard to do something.

00:29In daily life it would be, you know, really easy and, yeah, you don't think about that in daily life.

00:37As well as providing entertainment, the participating NGOs also aim to shape the attitudes surrounding disability.

00:44One of our most important goals is to eradicate taboos in people.

00:49And if they come across a person with a disability, whether on the street, at work, at school or anywhere,

00:56they should look at them through a different lens.

01:02The goal is here.

01:04The games range from individual activities to dual and larger group sports.

01:10Excessland offers a different take on these popular sports and activities.

01:17Playing brings both people together while simultaneously benefiting the NGOs.

01:21I started as a field volunteer, because I was told about this opportunity at the school,

01:26and the spirit of the foundation was so strong that I said,

01:30oh my God, I want to do this for the rest of my life, so this is my job now.

01:38The most popular activities include two obstacle courses by the I Won't Give Up Foundation.

01:44One is a wheelchair obstacle course and the other is a maze where participants need to find the exit blindfolded.

01:50Honestly, at the beginning I thought I was doing very well, but after you go to the very small spaces,

01:56I was completely lost.

01:59So it's, I mean, it's fun for us and it's a ludic way to put ourselves in their shoes,

02:06but I cannot imagine how hard it is to do this every day.

02:12In addition to playful learning, the venue has another very important function.

02:17Those who have special needs can also participate in the Accessland.

02:22Here, for example, you can rent a wheelchair, and the visually impaired can ask for an accompanist.

02:28Ádám Magyar, Euronews, Budapest Island Festival.

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