For the second time, the Handi’ville event was held in Oraison to raise awareness of disabilities in everyday life. A day which brought together several local elected officials.
It is a day dedicated to raising awareness of the issues that people with disabilities encounter on a daily basis which took place this Tuesday, June 4 in Oraison. The Handi’ville event, created by the Cœur Lavande association in 2022, focuses on physical and psychological disabilities and people with autism spectrum syndrome.
For its second year, Handi’ville offers a simulation course for several handicaps, which has been installed in the city center. Able-bodied people, and in particular elected officials, were able to put themselves in the shoes of people who are visually impaired, hard of hearing or in wheelchairs in order to better understand their daily lives.
“I find that there is good accessibility overall and that there is a real desire on the part of the municipality of Oraison to change things,” notes with enthusiasm Jean Tripodi, president of the Coeur Lavande association. “There was a majority of elected officials present today, including Mayor Benoît Gauvan.”
Change outlook and mentalities
The goal: to make cities increasingly accessible places for people with disabilities. While improvements are visible, there is still a long way to go.
“The idea is not to say that one city is less well endowed than another, but that when we carry out work, we must think of all disabilities and of the entire population, of those who are in strollers, those who are hearing impaired…”, explains Jean Tripodi.
“When making adjustments, elected officials often do not have this distant vision and that’s a shame,” he continues. “We must not talk about disability just to be elected. Today, we must allow people with disabilities to take responsibilities for those who can and who wish to do so.”
Changing the outlook and mentalities on disability is, in one sentence, what the president of the association wants. Cœur Lavande hopes by the end of the year to be able to lead a new Handi’ville day in other towns such as Manosque or Sisteron.
