by Stephanie Gray
Imagine the possibilities when a group of professionals travels to another country to share strategies and establish contacts with local professionals and members of the public on issues of equality and access to education, employment and civil society.
Recently, professionals with and without disabilities from the United States and Japan had a unique opportunity to do just that. Through the support of the Japan Foundation Center for Global Partnership, Mobility International USA (MIUSA) coordinated a bilateral exchange of U.S. and Japanese professionals with expertise in employment, inclusive education, organizational management and public policy.
In September 2002, a group of professionals, parents and students from Japan traveled to Eugene, Ore. to take part in an intensive program of informational workshops and site visits with the goal of devising strategies for improving the rights of Japanese citizens with disabilities. In February 2003, professionals from the U.S. traveled to Tokyo, Japan to continue the dialogue. They met with colleagues from various organizations, including the Japan Council on Independent Living Centers, Attorneys for Working Disabled Persons, and with parents and citizen activists at public forums and community gatherings.
Audrey Schading, a U.S. participant who is blind, traveled to Japan with her guide dog, Duncan. “Though laws for guide dog acceptance have only recently been passed [in Japan], Duncan had very little difficulty being accepted wherever we went. He attracted a lot of attention, as he is very large German shepherd. There are only about 800 people presently using guide dogs in Japan, trained at eight different schools. People were fascinated with Duncan and asked a lot of questions about his breed and size. After hours, Duncan won a restaurant owner over by his excellent behavior. At first we were told he could not come in, then only if we sat in the back. We came back the next day, and were welcomed in with smiles! Once the manager understood that Duncan would not create havoc with anything or anyone, we were told he was always welcome to come there.”
In addition to community site visits, forums and meetings, participants took part in enrichment activities that exposed them to the unique culture of the host country, such as river rafting in Oregon and a traditional drumming performance in Japan. Together with a homestay experience, these opportunities allowed them to place disability issues in a cultural context, and to better understand the people who are working for equal opportunity around the world.
For more information on participating in an international exchange, please visit www.miusa.org, or contact MIUSA at (541) 343-1284, fax (541) 343-6812, e-mail [email protected] or write to P.O. Box 10767, Eugene, OR 97440.