ROMA – When you reach your 60th birthday, a slightly special party is almost obligatory. But the 60th anniversary of the company is special Golden Thread League has that he doesn’t prefer to celebrate, but to reiterate the desire to continue fare and stay alongside those who, perhaps since birth, have not seen or heard. “At parties – someone said yesterday during the celebratory event that took place in a theater in San Lorenzo, together with the president of the association, Rosario Bartoli, Renzo Arbore and Neri Marcoré – we pat each other on the back”. Behold, the men and women of League of the Golden Thread they don’t give and don’t want pats on the back. They want concrete support actions to improve the existence of children and adults who, from birth, or following subsequent events, live in darkness and silence.
A precious and robust “Thread”. At the Teatro Abàrico in San Lorenzo, there was also the opportunity to preview the new campaign of League of the Golden Thread “60 years are not celebrated, they are made. Together”, signed by Arkage, precisely to reiterate the concept of fare more than that of the, although welcome, declarations of solidarity. “It is a precious thread that unites deaf-blind people with the outside world,” we read in the document released by the Organization. A sturdy thread that has supported the weight of a feverish and multiple activity since 1964 and which has strengthened over time thanks to the support of hundreds of volunteers and the contribution of educators, social workers, psychologists, therapists, nurses, specialized doctors, neurologists , ophthalmologists, otolaryngologists, pediatricians, orthopedists…
The geographical expansion of the Golden Thread Centers. Over the course of these sixty years, the Lega del Filo d’Oro ETS Foundation – Philanthropic Institution considered it a priority to expand the intervention spaces for families affected by such a particular and tiring disability to manage. In fact, there has been widespread growth throughout the national territory to concretely respond to the needs of disabled people and those close to them. Today the centers of the Lega del Filo d’Oro are present in 11 Italian regions: Residential Centres, Day Centres, Services and Territorial Offices, tripling the number of users followed in the last twenty years and today following over 1,200 users, who have benefited from one or more services in different modalities, guaranteeing them diagnostic, educational-rehabilitative and socio-educational interventions, reaching the highest number ever recorded in 2023.
The importance of supporters. In 2023, donations from private supporters reached 85% of the expenses incurred by the organisation, thus confirming – once again – the lack of harmony between civil society and the public institutions of our country. Overall, fundraising in 2023 increased by 24% compared to 2022. It is only thanks to this volume of private resources that the League of the Golden Thread manages to guarantee users personalized treatment that can dedicate from 1 to 2.4 employees for each guest, such as to offer effective rehabilitation programs, depending on the degree of disability. This is the reason why fundraising today plays a central role in the life and development of the Foundation.
The recognition of rights. Over the course of all these years, the Organization has also focused heavily on giving voice to the needs of those who suffer the serious disability of not seeing or hearing. In Italy, law 107/2010 recognizes deaf-blindness as a unique and specific disability. These are rules that now need to be reviewed for their true application. A bill was recently approved, considered very important, for all deaf-blind people, which recognizes this disability as unique, without discrimination between people with the same conditions developed at different ages. “This step – we read in the document released by the Organization – is significant and makes us look to the future with greater hope and lays the foundations for a more inclusive and respectful society”.
A manifesto submitted to the political forces of the country. Last March 27th Foundation presented to the Chamber of Deputies the Manifesto of deafblind people to ask the institutions for a greater commitment to ensure that every deaf-blind person is recognized and supported, everywhere and always, with access to care, interpreters and tools that can really make a difference in everyday life.
1) – School inclusion
2) – Autonomous mobility
3) – The possibility of working and living in spaces designed for the specific needs of those who cannot see or hear.
They are not just rights. Above all, they are steps to be taken towards a society in which no one is truly left behind. A more accessible world, even in places of sport and culture, means embracing diversity and breaking down all barriers. There Foundation with his story he has shown that he tenaciously believes that with everyone’s support we can overcome the current challenges for a more equal, civil and modern coexistence.
The Land of Silence and Darkness, the film by Werner Herzog. The great German director Werner Herzog made a film dedicated to deaf-blindness in 1971: Land of Silence and Darkness(The Land of Silence and Darkness). It is a dry and poignant story of the living conditions of children, young people and adults who have never known light and sounds, or who have lost the memory of them after many years of silence and darkness. The film – which we recommend and which can be seen on the YouTube platform – follows Mrs Fini Straubinger, a German woman who became deaf-blind at a young age. It follows her on her journey of meeting other deaf-blind people and discusses their difficulties in living in the modern world of the time.
The dialogues with tactile language and the most touching scenes. The dialogues that take place by touching the palm of the hand, using the tactile alphabet, the only one possible, are exciting. There are many scenes from the film that remain in our memory: that of the home for boys born deaf-blind; another with Mrs. Straubinger and her friends traveling on a small airplane and enjoying the landscape through the description given to them with the tactile language of the hands. And the final scene, where a man touches his head against the branch of a tree, which he begins to explore with his hands and eventually embraces it.
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1) Let’s start by discussing the importance of recognizing deaf-blindness as a unique and specific disability in Italy. Could you expand on how this recognition has affected the work of Lega del Filo d’Oro thus far and what more needs to be done to ensure equal opportunities for individuals with this condition?
2) Your Foundation has been focusing on expanding its centers across Italy to cater to the growing number of users. Can you share some of the challenges you faced during this expansion and how you overcame them?
3) Your recent campaign emphasizes the need for concrete support actions for children and adults living with deaf-blindness. Can you elaborate on the types of support you envision and how private supporters can get involved?
4) The Land of Silence and Darkness, a film by Werner Herzog, sheds light on the struggles of deaf-blind individuals. How has this film influenced your work at Lega del Filo d’Oro and what other media have you found effective in raising awareness about deaf-blindness?
5) Lega del Filo d’Oro celebrated its 60th anniversary this year. What are some of the changes you have observed in the field of deaf-blindness over the past six decades, and how do you envision the future of your organization in the next 60 years?
