People with disabilities demand respect, not charity, the Cyprus ADHD association said on Tuesday, asserting that “the Radiomarathon does not represent us.”
“People with disabilities no longer accept the institution of the Radiomarathon, as the way it is conducted and presented does not reflect modern perceptions of the rights and dignity of people with disabilities,” the association said.
While recognising Radiomarathon’s historical role – particularly at a time when people with disabilities were marginalised – the association stressed that “times have changed.”
“People with disabilities today are claiming their rightful place in the social, educational, and professional development of our country. They are not asking for charity, but for justice, accessibility, and respect,” it emphasised.
Despite repeated interventions by disability advocacy organisations directed at both the organisers and relevant government bodies, the association said, “the Radiomarathon continues to take place, promoting outdated and misguided messages of charity, without considering the views of the very community it supposedly supports.”
The association called on all stakeholders – including the state, the media, schools and communities – to promote inclusion, participation and accessibility, and to reject the rhetoric of pity.
