We express our gratitude to the Workshop of social cinema, volunteers Denis Ilinchuk, Konstantin Sviridov, Liza Chekanova for preparing an excellent video for the inclusive family holiday "Spring Kaleidoscope".
Natalia Kulesh
"You do not want to be a reporter on the inclusive Spring Kaleidoscope holiday involving children with Down's syndrome?" I received a message on one of Saturday evenings. In the head immediately began a dispute: "What is the answer? Agree? I'll have to go to another city early in the morning, but I really wanted to spend the weekend at home. And the festival is not for "ordinary" children ... How am I supposed to behave there? "
In the people it is called subconsciously, in the Christian environment of God's will, but I decided to go. The holiday was planned for children, the program was entertaining, everyone was invited. The only thing that was different was the participation of special children. I spent an hour and a half to learn more about Down's syndrome, because, as it turned out, from ignorance and lack of reliable information, there were a lot of prejudices in my head.
It turns out that the date of the International Day of Man with Down's Syndrome is not accidental: the twenty-first day of the third month was chosen due to the fact that in special people the chromosomes of the 21st pair, instead of the normal two, are represented by three copies. That is, day and month are the number of the pair and the number of chromosomes, respectively. The discovery for me was that the pathology of the child is diagnosed even during the gestation of the fetus. And in 90% of cases, the parents decide to terminate their pregnancy. The opinions of doctors on this subject differ and some persuade women to take this step, calling for getting rid of "genetic harm".
Slightly dispelling the myths in my head, I arrived at the Renaissance-Minsk Hotel, which is a partner of the holiday. Afraid to miss something, she took a place in the second row and began to wait for the beginning of the event, simultaneously observing how the hall was filled with guests. After the greeting, the host invited the organizers of the "Spring Kaleidoscope" to the microphone. Ekaterina Filonets, chairman of the parent association of the RSOA "Down Syndrome. Inclusion "said very important words:" Syndrome is a specificity, a feature. Such children differ only in an extra chromosome, in which good and love are laid. " This phrase densely sat in my head and during the three-hour holiday I became more and more convinced of its truthfulness.
Center for Fashion and Style M.Y.STUDIO, headed by the head Maria Zhuravleva, helped prepare children for creative performances and fashion shows. Maria brings up a child with a disability and knows firsthand what it's like to fight for equality of rights, for a worthy future for the child. Along with the children without the syndrome, the "solar children" defiled along the catwalk, not so much showing off clothes, but on a personal example they proved that they can live a full life. After all, contrary to myths, special children are able to learn, work, fall in love. The syndrome is not a disease that needs to be treated, people are not "amazed", do not "suffer" the syndrome and are not "its victims".
At one of the shows, together with the children, their moms went to the podium. Young, beautiful with a sparkle in her eyes and sincere happiness on her face. "These children teach us to love each other. Smile, do not swear, do not make a fuss. They are very warm, exuding love. These children are not angry, they do not have hatred, irritation, anger. We all need to learn to be as good-natured "- the parents tell a special baby.
Their creative numbers were supported by the idea of inclusion Alexander Patlis, Vladimir Pugach, the group "Tyani-push" and Egor Kann. Also for the young spectators was prepared a show of soap bubbles and performance of the drummers of the collective "Stress". All performances are free-lance. After all, one of the main goals of this event was to attract public attention to special people. And the main idea was that regardless of the diagnosis, you can love and engage in creativity, which is boundless. "The territory of art - the territory of equality" became the motto of the event.
The holiday was over, and a trembling feeling in my soul did not leave me for several hours. After all, what the organizers wanted to say was reported. Disability is not a sentence yet. And if life is not the way we were planned, it does not mean that it ended or became inferior, and any child is a special gift from heaven, which needs love and attention.
