The occupation of blind institutes in Italy in the 1970s was a story of active citizenship by blind people. Blind university students residing in institutes in Bologna and Padua began criticizing the outdated conditions in institutes, including lack of independence and separation of males and females. This led to improvements like more freedom and mixed housing. However, protesters called the institutes "golden ghettos" and demanded closure and integration into families and local schools. Clashes occurred between police and blind protesters barricaded in an institute in Padua in 1969, wounding some. Recently, blind social demands have clashed with attempts to reduce welfare states, but unity among blind Italians has thwarted such attempts. Ongo

1. The occupation of the Blind
Institutes in the 70’
A story of active citizenship realized
by blind people in ItalY
By Angelo Aiello- ANPVI
Experiences of Adult Education in Europe for blind or visually impaired people

2. In the wave of student protest between '68 and
'69, the blind university students who were
resident of the Blind Institute "Francesco
Cavazza" in Bologna and their colleagues from
Padua began a radical criticism of the
institutions for the blind with occupation of
the Institutes and a series of initiatives, such
as public meetings and newspaper articles, to
increase awareness of the general public and
politicians.

3. The main reasons were the antiquated
conditions of life in these institutions, rare
permissions to go out and only with parents’
permission, separation of males from females
and questionable internal discipline, lack of
meetings to discuss the problems of the blind
and substantial segregation from life outside
the institutes.

4. The first results were a significant improvement of
the internal conditions and the possibility to
meet freely, openings of the male and female
sections, improvements in the food through the
introduction of menus instead of set meals. Later
on these conditions were defined good but
insufficient.
The institutes for the blind were defined by the
protesters "golden ghettos" and the fight shifted
to more radical demands for the closure of the
institutions, the return in families and school
placement in their places of origin.

5. On the day of 15 February 1969 the police
penetrated inside the institute for the blind
"Configlischi" of Padua to restore normalcy.
There were clashes that led to the wounding
of a blind person and two policemen after the
blind barricaded themselves in the Institute.

7. In recent years the social demands of the
visually impaired have clashed with the
attempt to undermine the achievements so
far.
Several governments have attempted to
downsize the welfare state. But the struggle
and unity of blind in Italy have thwarted these
attempts.

8. There are still many battles going on. Among all
the protection of blind workers, greater
attention to their education, especially after
primary school, and greater awareness of the
public and the political class on the potential
the technologies now offer to improve the
living conditions of the blind.