Changing the view on disability? “Through what we do it is possible”. As Sergio Zini, President of the Coop Sociale Nazareno of Carpi, regarding the dangerous declarations on the possibility of separate classes at school for the disabled. “Disability is a relative concept, it does not define the person and politicians must get their hands dirty and ask themselves if what they do is sufficient for the recognition of dignity” and he insists again citing the “We, not them” of the National Conference of Cei in Naples in which he participated, because “we cannot talk about ourselves if we don’t talk about us” as if to say that we work together on the life project of any individual, including that of people with disabilities who, in addition following the therapies, they want to live, to fulfill themselves, to have fun.
They testify to it Marco Calamaibasketball player with Fortitudo and then professional coach, who since 1995 has dedicated himself as an instructor to training children and adults suffering from mental disabilities and Maria Giulia Cotini writer suffering from spastic tetraplesis, connected in streaming during the presentation of the 26th edition of the International Festival of Different Abilities entitled The Beauty that recreates scheduled from May 5th to June 4th in Carpi, Correggio, Sassuolo and Bologna.
Calamai will be present at the screening of the Spanish film “All we have to do is win” (21 May, 8.45 pm, Cinema Space City in Carpi) and will talk about his work and the importance of the game. “It’s up to us to excite them, involve them, keep them entertained and have faith in their growth: I don’t know where they’ll get to but nobody knows” and he talks about the emotion he felt when, after three years of observation from outside the field, a girl started playing demonstrating that she had learned basketball during all that time through mirror neurons.
Also online, Maria Giulia Cotini talks about her book Hermannus Contractor – The emerald in the stone (24 May, 7pm, Residenza Nazareno, via Budrione Migliarina, east side of Carpi) dedicated to that child who was taken to the Reichenau monastery because he suffered from spastic quadriplesis and who challenged his limits to the point of enchanting popes and emperors. “When I was eleven I struggled to integrate in the classroom but Ermanno’s story convinced me to find a space in the world”.
Simona Famulariorganizational manager of the International Festival of Different Abilities, illustrates the events that complete the event: the artistic competition Open Festival for emerging companies (6 May, 9.30 am Teatro Asioli in Correggio), the meeting-concert An unusual harmony with the cellist who was born deaf Giulia Mazza accompanied by the blind pianist Filippo Visentinthe theatrical show The white whale of the Manolibera company (18 May, 9pm, Teatro Comunale di Carpi), the conference What makes us human – Body, brain, relationships to live in the present with the neuroscientist Vittorio Gallese (23 May, 6pm, Parco di Casa Mantovani, via Santa Barbara Bologna), the music show Caro Maestro of the Scià Scià Orchestra (27 May at 9pm Teatro Carani in Sassuolo), the concert by Frida Bollani Magoni on stage with the EgoMuto dance company in Call of Beauty (30 May at 9pm Teatro Comunale di Carpi) and the presentation of the maestro’s book Enrico Zanella during the show A different Conductor (4 June, 7pm, Bistrò53 in via Bollitora interna 134 in Carpi).
It’s time to change our outlook and the International Festival of Different Abilities is the opportunity “to remind us where to start again every day in our daily commitment”.
Sara Gelli
