5th Conference for the International Day of Persons with Disabilities: the event in detail
The 5th Conference for the International Day of Persons with Disabilities was held on 2 December at 12 h in the Conference Room of the Rectorate. The conference lasted an hour and half, in which there was the round table “Emotional well-being at the UAB: challenges in the current situation”, followed by the awarding of the Impuls grants and an artistic performance coordinated by Susoespai. The conference was broadcasted at the YouTube channel of the UAB.
11/11/2022
The doors of the Conference Room of the Rectorate opened to welcome the public who attended the 5th Conference in commemoration of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities. The space was adapted to make accessibility easier, and two sign language interpreters made the event info-accessible. At the entrance, leaflets with the conference’s program were handed out. Once everyone was seated, the secretary general of the UAB, Esther Zapater, opened the event explaining that “the aim of these conferences is to continue working on raising awareness, which involves the whole university community”.
The director of the Observatory for Equality of the UAB, Maria Prats, continued remembering the origin of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities. “The 3rd of December is established by the United Nations as an international day to claim and promote the rights and welfare of people with disabilities in all social spheres”, she said. Moreover, she also pointed out that “the World Health Organisation reminds us that disability is part of the human condition and that everyone will experience a temporary or permanent disability in their lives”. This way, she introduced the measures and resources included in the Second UAB Disability and Inclusion Action Plan (2018-2023). The Observatory for Equality focuses mainly on visibility and awareness-raising, disseminating policies, resources and data on this area. It also provides support and advice to other university bodies responsible for the implementation of the plan.
The round table included Anna Muro Rodríguez, professor at the Department of Basics, Developmental and Educational Psychology; the testimonies of students Amantha Baldaccini and Ana Bensalah; Judit Oliver Casas, coordinator of the UAB Inclusion Service. It was moderated by Lydia Giménez, professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Legal Medicine and Responsible of equality policies at the Faculty of Medicine. Lydia Giménez begun with the figures of a survey on mental health carried out at the university. 6 out of 10 students have experienced stress, anxiety or depression. This is even more so for women, whom 7 out of 10 have suffered a mental disorder. The emotional health of the 90 % of students has worsened. With these worrisome figures, the round table discussed ways of tackling this situation. Anna Muro spoke about the “Tercer Temps (Third Time)” project at the UAB, which is inspired by the meeting between opposing rugby teams after a match. This initiative aims to provide a safe space to talk about our emotions and to bond with other people that are in the same situation. As the two international students described, “Tercer Temps” has been essential to help them improve their mental health.
Once the round table ended, the secretary general gave way to the director of the Autonomous Solidarity Foundation (FAS), Jordi Prat, to present the grant holders for 2022. There were 10 students with disabilities and dependency who received a total grant of €9,935, with the support of the UAB Social Council.
As the conference drew to a close, instrumental music began to play in the Rectorate’s Conference Room and the lights dimmed. Three participants from the Susoespai association gave a musical performance based on corporal expression titled Un lloc (A place).
The commemoration of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities is part of the Disability Plan 2018-2023, as part of the visibility and awareness-raising axis. This plan responds to the UAB’s commitment to guarantee the rights and inclusion of people with disabilities. The Observatory for Equality is the UAB’s Equality Unit, responsible for drawing up and monitoring action plans and carrying out awareness-raising and visibility actions on gender and disability issues.