by by Maria Luigia Perenze

26 May 2005

BONN: The idea of ‘Special View’, a photography course for disabled people, came out in response to the launch of the Millennium Volunteer Contest in 2004, an initiative of UNV headquarters held to promote volunteer activities for the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in South East Asia. As a UN Volunteer working in the field of culture at the UNESCO Hanoi Office, I thought this related to both my assignment and my interest in art promotion.

As in many other countries, people with disabilities in Viet Nam face a number of difficulties. They are often considered different and thus marginalized. Through ‘Special View’ we wanted to overcome the barriers people with disabilities often encounter, to highlight their great potential, and to open a window to the world on their views. Furthermore, we wanted others to think of people with disabilities as being special people rather than different. Contributing to MDG 8, “Develop a Global Partnership for Development”, also inspired ‘Special View’. Through this activity, local volunteers, volunteers from abroad, and people with disabilities worked closely together, a real global alliance for development.

Volunteers were at the core of ‘Special View’. They were actively involved in teaching the basics of photography, translating, typing simultaneously the lectures while projecting the text on the wall for the hearing impaired, organizing the field trip to take the pictures, supporting the fundraising activities, setting up the final exhibition, and so much more.

At the end of the course, we held an exhibition that demonstrated the success of ‘Special View’. The initiative’s impact was also evident in the eyes of the students – bright and proud.
Thanks to the support of UNV, ‘Special View’ will continue to promote photography for people with disabilities. A second course is planned for May 2005. Teachers and students alike are ready and eager to start again!