On September 9, in collaboration with the Association of Paraplegics of Carinthia, we organized the opening of the traveling photographic exhibition A Life No Different at the Ksaver Meško Library in Slovenj Gradec. The exhibition, part of the project Nationwide Awareness Campaign on the Social Inclusion of People with Disabilities, has already visited a significant number of locations across Slovenia. The opening speech was delivered by Mag. Mojca Vaupotic, Secretary General of NSIOS and project leader. The event was also attended by the Deputy Mayor of the Municipality of Slovenj Gradec, Martina Šisernik, and the photographer Primož Lavre. A diverse cultural program was provided by the users of VDC Sonček Slovenj Gradec.
The opening of the exhibition also marked the beginning of the 17th Festival of Diversity.
Speech by Secretary General Mag. Mojca Vaupotič:
Ladies and gentlemen, dear friends, esteemed guests,
Allow me today, with great pride, to speak about a project that connects us, inspires us, and opens the door to a more inclusive society – the Nationwide Awareness Campaign on the Social Inclusion of People with Disabilities.
The project began in 2016, when the National Council of Disability Organizations of Slovenia was first involved in the pilot project European Disability Card, which has since grown into much more.
When we developed the project some time ago at the National Council, we set a clear goal: to encourage reflection, create a space for dialogue, and, above all, give a voice to people whose everyday lives are no less rich, no less valuable, and no less human than anyone else’s.
One of the activities of the project is the traveling photographic exhibition A Life No Different, which has already had nine installations across Slovenia just this year. It is a great honor for me to open today an exhibition that continues the photographic exhibition Mothers No Different, which the library hosted a few years ago. Each installation brings new energy, new encounters, and—most importantly—new insights for the people who have already seen it and will see it in the future. The photographs tell a story that goes beyond words. They depict the lives of people with disabilities, not as something different, but as lives full of hope, creativity, joy, and also challenges—truly, a life no different.
When we look at the faces in the outstanding photographs by photographer Primož Lavre, we do not see disability. We see smiles, warmth, determination, and love. We see people. And this is the message that must reach every corner of our country: that people with disabilities are no different in their worth, in their dreams, and in their rights
Dear ladies and gentlemen, the success of this project is measured not only by the number of exhibition venues but also by the change in people’s hearts and minds. With every visitor who leaves feeling more open, more compassionate, and more ready to help create an inclusive society, we take a significant step forward together.
Let A Life No Different serve as a reminder that, in reality, we live one shared life—and that it becomes richer when everyone is given the opportunity to participate in it fully.
Thank you to everyone who is part of this story. Thank you to all who open the doors to the exhibition, and most of all, thank you to all who open their hearts.
Let us be guided by this thought: a society without exclusion is a society of the future.
Thanks.
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