Exhibition in Bad Belzig: Experience and shape inclusion in a new way!

Exhibition in Bad Belzig: Experience and shape inclusion in a new way!

The exciting exhibition “Inclusion is an attitude” will be on display in the Potsdam-Mittelmark district office from December 2nd to 15th, 2025. This event not only aims to inform, but also to stimulate thought. The representative for people with disabilities, Lisa Weyhrich, organized the exhibition in collaboration with the association Rethink Inclusion. V. developed. This takes place in the heart of Bad Belzig, at Papendorfer Weg 1, and includes nine roll-ups that highlight various aspects of inclusion.

What is behind the concept of inclusion? It's about enabling all people to fully participate in social life, regardless of disabilities or other limitations. Inclusion is much more than just a keyword; it is an attitude that focuses on respect, diversity and accessibility. These beliefs are also central to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which promotes equal opportunities for all people. A study by Aktion Mensch emphasizes that despite an initial optimism after the convention came into force in 2009, Germany has made little progress.

Social participation in focus

The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, as can be found on behindertenrechtskonvention.info, aims to ensure that all people, whether with or without a disability, can live and participate together. The challenge, however, is that society must be made accessible to everyone from the start. It is by no means just a question of integrating “excluded” groups, but rather a fundamental transformation of how we live together.

According to the exhibition, special attention should also be paid to inclusive education. Article 24 of the UN Convention guarantees that children with and without disabilities have equal access to educational institutions. Nevertheless, the figures show that joint school attendance is often still viewed as an exception, while separate special schools continue to exist in many federal states.

Progress and challenges

The Federal Ministry has presented a national action plan for implementing inclusion, but implementation is often slow. The dismantling of the special school system and inclusion in the labor market are stagnating. Aktion Mensch complains that people with severe disabilities in particular continue to face major hurdles in finding access to jobs subject to social security contributions. In contrast, despite legal regulations, advances in accessibility in the private sector have not been implemented and therefore often remain the exception.

The exhibition “Inclusion is an Attitude” not only offers a platform to illuminate the historical developments and current challenges of inclusion, but also space for personal experiences. Anyone interested is invited to come and see for themselves and actively participate in the discussion. For further information about the exhibition, Lisa Weyhrich can be reached at bcvs@potsdam-mittelmark.de.

At a time when inclusion is more than just a buzzword, it is important to integrate the principles into everyday life and create a society that is accessible to all people. Let's work on it together!