Almost a tenth of the population in the Ludwigsburg district was living with a severe disability at the end of 2023, reported Social Affairs Officer Christos Vavouras. The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities has led to the adoption of certain measures and laws that have a direct impact at district level, such as the new regulation of integration assistance in the Federal Participation Act or the expansion of barrier-free bus stops. However, according to Vavouras, laws alone are not enough, it is important that inclusion is brought about in people's minds.
Keynote speaker Matthias Berg tests the audience
Matthias Berg, a well-known ZDF Paralympics expert, lawyer, horn player and coach, shared his own personal experiences with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. He encouraged those present to stand up for who they are and what they can do. "Inclusion begins in the mind," said Berg. Freedom of thought lies in your own reaction. Berg appealed to the audience with a "sticking point test": "Pay attention to your choice of words", because words create images and emotions.
Challenges in the district despite convention
Professor Dr. Sandra Fietkau, Dean of the Ludwigsburg Protestant University of Applied Sciences, and Claudia Lychacz, Municipal Disability Officer in the Ludwigsburg district, reported from an academic perspective. Lychacz cited medical care, long application processing times and the limited opportunities for people with disabilities on the general labor market as challenges. "We have enough rights, now we should get more into action," said Lychacz.
Antonio Florio from the association "Selbstbestimmt Leben im Landkreis Ludwigsburg e.V." spoke on behalf of the association sector in the district and the extent to which the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities has an impact on association life. "The association wants to be loud for a self-determined life without barriers - actually quite normal," said Florio.
The conclusion of the ninth inclusion conference was that it is important to recognize the diversity of people with disabilities in all its facets. Their contributions should be incorporated even more strongly into planning and politics.
