The document proposes an inclusion challenge where countries will select "special characters" from media that feel excluded from society due to their differences. Participating countries will research the character's differences, reasons for feeling excluded, and how they become included. Each country will provide an illustration showing their character in a state of inclusion.
1. In this challenge, each country will first suggest another country to work on a
‘special’ character from any sources they can think of (films, books, comics, etc.).
The characters must have a common feature -- their ‘differences’ from those
around them make them feel like they don’t belong to the society they are living in.
But then, what are we to do with this ‘special’ character that has been chosen for
you?
The ‘receiving team’ will do their researches to find out
- the nature of his/her ‘difference(s)’ (emotional, social, physical, etc.)
- the reasons why this character feels ‘excluded’ and not accepted by the other
groups and
- what actions lead to this character being included and accepted in the end.
To meet the challenge, each group will provide an illustration (a screenshot, a
drawing, a photo, etc.) showing this character in a ‘state of inclusion’.
Inclusion Challenge, From France to UK!
2. Shoko Nishimiya, from
A Silent Voice
The topic of deafness isn’t something not commonly seen in films. I found it especially
interesting to see how it was handled in a Japanese context. In my experience in Japan,
disabilities were not widely talked about and in my three years living in Japan I don’t recall
coming across many people with any kinds of disabilities, and certainly none in the schools
I worked in. A lot of bullying comes from ignorance and fear of what is different, and it was
clearly this ignorance and fear which caused the children in this movie to behave so cruelly
at times. One child in the film was simply angry because they couldn’t communicate with the
deaf girl and frustrated by not understanding her – sadly I could easily imagine this situation
in any school environment, but especially in one where difference and disability are so rare.
(Quote from -haikugirl.me/2016-)
3. How could we understand Shoko?
What is
inclusion for
someone deaf?
What if all students in
school experienced a
day without being able
to hear?
Is about
Empathy!
Because through
understanding we are
able to act
accordingly!
Sometimes,
ignorance causes us
to act
inappropriately…
Deaf people can cope very
well, they might just need us
to face them so they can read
our lips!
What are the
advantages of being
deaf Shoko?
11. With this Challenge we have learnt….
• We have learnt about Inclusion as a way
of understanding and not assuming.
• We believe that Education is the key to
respect and inclusion!
• We are all equally different, and that is
completely WONDERFUL!