Where Roads Meet: Barrier-Free Fashion
10.08.2014
BEDD ve Marmara Üniversitesi Teknik Bilimler Meslek Yüksekokulu Tasarım Bölümü tarafından düzenlenen İbrahim Üzümcü yerleşkesinde “Engelsiz Moda” konulu bir etkinlik düzenlendi.
Etkinlik kapsamında düzenlenen panele Marmara Üniversitesi Teknik Bilimler Meslek Yüksekokulu Müdürü Mustafa Öksüz, Bedensel Engelliler Dayanışma Derneği Başkanı Kemal Demirel, hukukçu Av. Ünal Atilla, Bedensel Engelliler Dayanışma Derneği danışmanı, Psikolog Esra Savaşan, Bedensel Engelliler Dayanışma Derneği yönetim kurulu üyesi ve modacı Gülin Özen.
The event was inaugurated by Asst. Prof. Nuriye İşgören, the head of the Department of Design. Nuriye İşgören noted that the Department of Design has adopted a principle to cooperate with non-governmental organizations. İşgören also pointed out that the Department co-hosts the event with the Solidarity Association for the Physically Disabled in order to draw attention to the challenges faced by physically disabled people. İşgören talked about how she and her students at the department drew up a survey, and had the responses of the members from the Solidarity Association for the Physically Disabled. İşgören explained the reason behind the survey: "Based on their views on clothing and design, we would like to outline the collection that we would design." İşgören concluded her remarks extending thanks to the companies who have provided full support, and to Özlem Eylem Balcı, the mastermind of the project and a member of the Solidarity Association for the Physically Disabled.
Istanbul is not the sole city home to disabled people
The panel discussion was underway following the speech by Asst. Prof. Nuriye İşgören. The panel discussion was chaired by Prof. Mustafa Öksüz, the director of Marmara University's Vocational School of Technical Sciences. Mr. Öksüz said: "Acknowledging the presence of disabled people within the society. Introducing regulations that fit for them might be something to be dealt with by a government and local administrations while we as citizens have many roles to play." Mr. Öksüz also noted that Istanbul is not the sole city home to disabled people and concluded his remarks, highlighting the need to disseminate such endeavors across the Anatolia.
"You all may end up being disabled one day"
Following the speech by Prof. Mustafa Öksüz, Mr. Kemal Demirel took the floor as the head of the Solidarity Association for the Physically Disabled. Mr. Demirel said: "I am 54 years old. I was paralyzed at the age of 10 as a result of a surgical malpractice. I spent 11 years in a hospital. I just got a typewriter and began to write a lot. Then, my articles were published. And I began to organize people. Here we are today." Mr. Demirel concluded his remarks by remind people of the fact that healthy persons may end up being disabled one day, and no one's future is set in stone so people should come to senses.
Disability is not just about physicality
The speech by Mr. Kemal Demirel was followed by another panelist. Psychologist Esra Savaşan took the floor as a member of the Solidarity Association for the Physically Disabled to talk about the psychology of disabled people. Savaşan dwelled on the concept of inability, and said it is not just about physicality, but there are greater inabilities in terms of emotions, too. Savaşan underlined the fact that each person is unique, and said: "We are different from one another. We need to learn how to co-exist with such differences, and embrace them."
We came to you, not the other way around
Mr. Ünal Atilla, an attorney at law and the legal advisor to the Solidarity Association for the Physically Disabled, inaugurated his speech talking about the importance of NGOs and how few people join them. Mr. Atilla continued: "Let's leave the law aside for a second. The fact that college students are not part of NGOs is troubling." Extending his thanks to the Department of Design for hosting the event, Mr. Ünal Atilla said: "We came to you, not the other way around."
The panel discussion was followed by the presentation of a plaque of appreciation to the Solidarity Association for the Physically Disabled by the Department of Design affiliated to the Vocational School of Technical Sciences. The event culminated in a fashion show under the theme of "Disability-Free Fashion".
A Wedding Story
In partnership between the Solidarity Association for the Physically Disabled and Marmara University's Department of Design affiliated to the Vocational School of Technical Sciences in an effort to engage in social solidarity and raise awareness, some students and disabled people gathered as a part of a panel discussion and a fashion show held under the project of "Where Roads Meet: Disability-Free Fashion" Wednesday on 5th of March, 2014.
Organized ahead of the fashion show, the panel discussion was focused on disability rights, psychology and education of disabled people, and drew attention to problems faced by the disabled, providing the audience with views and suggestions that would make things easier for the disabled.
The fashion show displayed clothes designed by amateur students and worn by professional models with inputs from the disabled members of BEDD. Taking the stage in a wheelchair and a tailor-made bridal gown, Nilgün Bilgücü, a BEDD member, led to some emotionally-charged moments among the audience. Her husband Vedat Bilgücü and she enchanted all the attendees on the stage as a part of a custom-made choreography.
The highlight of the event was the moment when they said they would not get a bridal gown due to financial hardships back in the day, and they had to get married without one, and could not afford a wedding dinner, either.
Doğruca gelinliğiyle eve gitmesi doğru olmaz. Bunun üzerine BEDD'in seçkin bağışçı ve sponsorlarından Foça Balık Restaurant'ın sahibi Burçin Onay , çifti günün önemine binaen bir düğün yemeği için İdealtepe Foça Balık Restaurant'a davet etti. İdealtepe Foça Balık Restaurant çalışanları, keyifli anlar yaşamaları için Bilgücü çiftine özel ilgi ve nezaket gösterdi.
