Information Centre for Disabled

Problems of the disabled persons have remained within the interest of Gdansk authorities since 1996 when the council nominated the Mayor's Plenipotentiary for the Disabled. The action programme against social exclusion was then developed and updated in 2002.

The program covers such aims as raising public awareness about the disabled persons problems or eliminating obstacles in municipal buildings. Providing equal opportunities in education, culture, and sports, creating free access to medical care, rehabilitation and social care, creating a job search support system, developing and implementing a social communication system for finding the disabled-friendly solutions come next.

The majority of Gdansk's cultural institutions re-targeted their offers at the disabled through eliminating the architectural barriers. Likewise, 26 health care institutions adapted themselves to the needs of the disabled. A number of joint classes where healthy and disabled children learn together have increased.

In the school year 2002/2003 there are 138 such classes in 33 schools in total. As for the public transportation system, it gets adjusted to the needs of the disabled. Presently, Municipal Transportation Company owns 91 low-floor buses.

In 1999 the Disabled Service Unit was created. Apart from the county statutory tasks, it initiates and organises a number of projects for the disabled. Namely, these are the cultural events, artistic workshops for children and teenagers. Exhibitions of the artistic photos such as e.g. "Politicians and the disabled", "To See, Hear, Touch and Know", or Hadamarian Exhibition devoted to the extermination of the disabled during the world war II, scientific symposiums and conferences are other examples. Since three years the city organises cruises over the Gdansk Bay for children and teenagers with disability. "Gdansk-a disabled-friendly city" is another literary-artistic competition for all students organised since 1998. Due to cooperation with Gdansk International Fairs, the disabled participate in the fairs and events where they can present their artistic and craft works. The City Council has developed the report on the status of the disabled persons and has prepared information leaflets for the disabled and their families, and a guidebook. Information Centre for the Disabled - Gdaskon - offers complex information on its website.

In May 2000, City Council organised a series of events "Caravan 2000-Poland Stop" under the scheme of the International Movement for Variety and Understanding - Caravan 2000. Since 2001 the city of Gdansk together with municipal NGOs constitute the Polish Committee "Caravan 2000".

On 2 December 2002 the city authorities solemnly inaugurated the European Year of the Disabled 2003. For this reason the Gdansk Committee prepared the events calendar, numerous meetings and projects.