Hasan Kalyoncu University (HKU) Faculty of Education, Department of Special Education, Special Education Application and Research Centre (ÖZEUAM), Barrier-Free Student Unit and Special Education Student Community jointly held the “An Accessible World for All” events for 3 December, International Day of Persons with Disabilities, in order to raise awareness of individuals with special needs and to draw attention to the importance of accessibility.
In addition to simultaneous activities in all faculties, the events held at various points on the HKU campus were attended by HKU Rector Prof. Dr. Türkay Dereli, Vice-Rectors Prof. Dr. Gül Rengin Küçükerdoğan and Prof. Dr. Mehmet Lütfi Yola, academic and administrative staff, and students.
Stating that the aim of these events is not only to create or increase awareness of accessibility, but that such events also offer an opportunity to remind everyone of their responsibilities towards one another and to build a more inclusive society, HKU Rector Prof. Dr. Türkay Dereli said: “As Hasan Kalyoncu University, we embrace an approach to higher education that sees differences as a richness, constantly empathises and is accessible. Accessibility is important not only physically but in every necessary area, especially the social and cognitive domains. Therefore, working together, we must remove barriers, ensure that barriers are overcome, make life easier and improve conditions so that every individual can reach their potential. Our university and our units always act within this mobilisation. Indeed, our university and our faculties hold the barrier-free badge and flag awarded by YÖK in many categories. We wholeheartedly believe that what matters most for a barrier-free world is not overcoming barriers but removing them, especially the barriers in our minds, and that all barriers can be overcome with love, empathy and solidarity. For a more accessible and barrier-free world, we must act together and make greater efforts to make the lives of individuals with disabilities easier, to offer them more opportunities and possibilities, and to ensure genuine and sincere equality in society. Our effort must be one that continues not for a day, but every day”.
In the events held under the theme “An Accessible World for All”, the “Rare Special Needs Poster Exhibition” brought awareness together with art, and participants were given information at the exhibition about rare special needs such as Progeria Syndrome, Angelman Syndrome and Waardenburg Syndrome.
In the finale of the events, an ‘awareness walk’ was held along the balloon-decorated campus streets, accompanied by the performance of the Oğuzeli Barrier-Free Life Centre Mehter Band.
