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PRESS RELEASE
What can YOU see in Dhaka?
Experience Dhaka life from the perspective of People with Disabilities
A new exhibition in Dhaka will give people the opportunity to experience
life in the city as a person with a disability, and to raise awareness of
the disability issue in Bangladesh.
Seeing in the Dark, an SARPV Bangladesh/Healthlink Worldwide (UK)
initiative, supported by the British Council, will invite people to
experience the exhibition in complete darkness, while using mobility aids
such as crutches or a wheelchair. As visitors move around in the darkroom,
they will encounter objects and sounds specially designed to re-create
typical Dhaka life.
The darkroom will simulate blindness, and by using mobility aids people will
be able to play the role of a person with a physical disability. People with
disabilities will guide visitors around the exhibition space, and they will
be able to talk about Dhaka life from their perspective.
The exhibition takes place at Dhrupad gallery, House 36, Road 5, Banani, and
it will be inaugurated on 15th December 2003 at 4 pm. The exhibition will
remain open from 16th to 20th December.
The exhibition will be designed and built by a group of Bangladeshi people
with disabilities, together with a group of artists. Simon Allen, a British
artist, will be in Dhaka to work with the group and provide technical
assistance.
There will also be artwork on display outside the darkroom. Visitors will be
encouraged to interact with the exhibition at all times, not only by moving
around in the darkroom, but also by providing comments, and talking to the
people with disabilities, who will be staffing the event throughout.
Shahidul Haque, chief executive of SARPV Bangladesh, said: "In Bangladesh,
10% of the population have some form of disability, and they are often
ignored and marginalised by the rest of the population. We hope this
exhibition will decrease the stigma of disability, and increase people's
understanding."
The exhibition is part of the Communicating for Advocacy project, being run
by a British non-governmental organisation, Healthlink Worldwide. David
Curtis, Healthlink's regional link coordinator for South East Asia, said:
"This is a really exciting part of the advocacy work going on in Bangladesh.
This offers non-disabled people a wonderful opportunity that could
potentially change their understanding of the world around them."
Notes for editors
1. The full details of the exhibition is as follows:
Seeing in the Dark - Muldhara Gallery, House 15, Road 7, Dhanmondi
Dhaka
Inauguration - 14th December 2003
Opening - 15th - 20th December 2003, 10 am to 8 pm
2. SARPV stands for Social Assistance and Rehabilitation for the Physically
Vulnerable. The event is jointly organised by SARPV Bangladesh, the British
Council in Bangladesh, and Healthlink Worldwide (UK). The UK Department for
International Development (DFID) is providing funds for the project through
Healthlink Worldwide.
3. Simon Allen is an independent artist and technical consultant, and is not
formally associated with SARPV Bangladesh, the British Council, or
Healthlink Worldwide (UK).
3. All enquiries are welcome. Please contact:
Derek Thorne, Programme Officer, Communications and Advocacy
SARPV Bangladesh
3/8 Block F Lalmatia, Dhaka-1207, Bangladesh
Phone: +880-2-8119271/9124522
Fax: +880-2-8119774
E-mail: [log in to unmask]
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