The second stage of the social responsibility project titled “Equal World for All: Overcoming Obstacles Together”, in which Res. Asst. Ayşe Seray Engin from the Gastronomy and Culinary Arts Department of Istanbul Gelişim University (IGU), Faculty of Fine Arts (FFA), and Res. Asst. Merve Karadaban and Res. Asst. Ezginaz Kara from the Interior Architecture and Environmental Design Department took part as executives, was realized on Thursday, January 02, 2025.
In the second stage of the project, the project team visited the “Dialogue in the Dark Exhibition” located in the Dialogue Museum, which was established to understand visually and hearing impaired individuals, who are disadvantaged groups in society, in the Şişli district. First of all, the project managers bought tickets for the “Dialogue in the Dark Exhibition”. Until the event started, they ordered coffee in sign language at the cafe in the museum where hearing impaired individuals work. The Dialogue in the Dark Exhibition invites its participants to tour the urban spaces that have become symbols of Istanbul in the dark, in a completely dark environment for approximately 60 minutes. This exhibition, which again reveals the difficulties experienced by visually impaired individuals in a very striking way, accompanied by a visually impaired guide, offers the participants a very striking and real tour of Istanbul with all its difficulties. This experience made the participants feel the obstacles that visually and hearing impaired individuals encounter in their daily lives more deeply. The aim of the tour to the iconic places of Istanbul, guided by visually impaired guides throughout the exhibition, was to provide the participants with not only a visual tour but also a sensory awareness. In the dark environment, with the activation of the senses of sound, touch and smell, the participants were able to experience the relationships of visually impaired individuals with the spaces in the city. With this activity, the project team aimed to ensure that the participants better understand the difficulties experienced by disabled individuals and develop empathy. It also aims to raise awareness so that disabled individuals can take part in social life more effectively and equally. At the end of the exhibition, the participants shared their feelings and thoughts, making their experiences more meaningful.
In the last stage of the project, the project team stated that they were very impressed by the experience they had and made a change. In the last stage, they will participate in the “Dialogue in Silence Exhibition” again at the Dialogue Museum. In this way, in line with the main purpose of the Project, this time they will experience the difficulties experienced by hearing impaired individuals, who constitute another disadvantaged segment of society.
We would like to thank our research assistants who participated in the project.
