“Equal opportunities and a barrier-free future in which full recognition of one’s rights is implemented by guaranteeing real inclusion: this is what deafblind and psychosensory impaired people, over 360 thousand in Italy (0.7% of the population) and over a million and 400 thousand in Europe (0.3% of the resident population, 2.5% for the elderly)”. On the occasion of the International Day of Deafblindness (27 June), the Lega del Filo d’Oro Ets Foundation, a point of reference in Italy for deafblindness and multiple psychosensory impairments for 60 years, rekindles attention on this unique and specific disability, to promote the rights of those who cannot see or hear and give voice to the many families who ask for concrete solutions for the future of their children.
To promote awareness of deafblindness at an international level, this year too the Foundation is promoting the global initiative “Yarn Bombing”, the colorful street art of yarn products revived for the fourth edition by the Deafblind International (Dbi) network – of of which the Lega del Filo d’Oro is part – which will live in an explosion of colors on the occasion of the International Day of 27 June.
In order to shine the light on a unique and specific disability, the Lega del Filo d’Oro recently presented, at the Chamber of Deputies, the “Manifesto of deafblind people”, a ten-point document which aims to recall the attention of the institutions on the rights of this non-negligible but often invisible segment of the population who risk remaining confined to the isolation imposed by their disability.
“This anniversary is an important opportunity to reiterate what we have always asked: we want to be the ones to write the novel of our lives in first person. We only ask to be put in a position to do it as best as possible, pursuing the greatest possible autonomy and enjoying the same opportunities as other citizens”, underlines Francesco Mercurio, president of the Committee of deafblind people of the Lega del Filo d’Oro Foundation.
(Photo Lega del Filo d’Oro)
Also for the 2024 edition of the Yarn Bombing in the Centers and territorial offices of the Lega del Filo d’Oro, deafblind and psychosensory impaired people were involved in the creation of colored squares and pom poms, knitted or crocheted, to be used to “color the world” through a simple “thread”: an activity made possible thanks to the Foundation’s occupational workshops, which aim to stimulate the creativity and residual skills of those who cannot see or hear. Added to their artefacts were also those created by family members, supporters, volunteers, staff and friends of the Institution which, on the key day of 27 June, will cover the streets, parks, objects and monuments of the 11 regions in which the Foundation is present , to give life to a large patchwork woven with all the colors and threads of solidarity. On 27 June a colorful explosion of yarn artefacts will cover public spaces, monuments, parks and symbolic objects in various Italian cities: Osimo (An), Lesmo (Mb), Novara, Padua, Modena, Rome, San Benedetto dei Marsi (Aq ), Naples, Molfetta (Ba), Termini Imerese (Pa).
