Description
The project addresses the lack of dialogue between the institutions, NGOs, the business and the media which causes public mistrust and deepens social inequalities. The project aims at bridging the gap between the stakeholders by organizing “dialogues in the dark”. First, “the dialogues in the dark” will be prepared; the methodology will be translated and 20 visually impaired facilitators will be selected and trained. Second, 32 “dialogues in the dark” will be held in the 4 cities of Sofia, Plovdiv, Varna and Burgas in groups of 10 with representatives of the NGOs, the institutions, the business and the media. Finally, the findings from the organized “dialogues in the dark” will be described. The project will benefit the public in general, the visually impaired facilitators, NGOs, institutions, the business and the media.
Summary of project results
The project aimed at changing public attitudes towards visually impaired people. Various social strata (civil servants, doctors, teachers, IT experts, social workers, etc.) joined Dialogue in the Dark and they had first-hand experience that the loss of sight is an obstacle which is surmountable. The project aimed at using the Dialogue in the Dark events to create conditions for the adoption of anti-discrimination legislation and contriute to an inclusive social environment via dialogue and togetherness in order to overcome the negative attitudes and prejudices between the social groups. The innovative nature of the project contributed greatly to increased interest in the events. More than 320 representatives of various social groups (state and local authorities, businesses, the media, education and healthcare systems) took part in the Dialogue in the Dark events (32 events were held in the dark (8 in Sofia, Plovdiv, Varna and Bourgas). 25 visually impaired people were trained as facilitators and 6 of them were certified by Dialogue in the Dark, Germany. The project had direct impact on the institutions in the four cities where the events took place, Sofia, Plovdiv, Varna and Bourgas. A guide and a movie about Dialogue in the Dark in Bulgaria were prepared and they can be downloaded from
http://darkbg.com/.
Summary of bilateral results