Cultural Participation Is Not a Privilege; It Is Every Child's Right

Firouzeh Soleimani said: Every child, regardless of how they experience the world, has the right to access quality literature and to choose the books and stories they love. However, access to audiobooks alone is not enough; we must also ensure equal access to cultural products, educational opportunities, and the chance for children to take an active part in artistic and social activities.

Sefir Arjan Children and Adolescent Service of Iran (Safir Arjan) - Sayeh Brain: audio book for blind children is more than a way to access children's stories and literature, it is an opportunity to experience imagination, learning and communication with the surrounding world; An opportunity that can become a different and effective experience by providing the possibility of participation in the production of cultural works. On the occasion of International White Cane Day, we talked with Ferdous Soleimani, director of audio book production of Mehrsa Publications, about the role of audio books in the lives of blind children, the experience of participation of these children in the production of audio works, and the necessity of providing equal opportunities in the field of children's culture and literature.

In this conversation, Soleimani believes that children with visual disabilities should not only be recipients of cultural products, but should also have the possibility of active participation in the process of creating and publishing works. Referring to the experience of producing the audio book "Differences Make Us Stronger" with the voices of blind and partially sighted children and continuing this path in the form of a podcast, he emphasizes the importance of overcoming the pitiful gaze and providing the opportunity for experience, choice and participation for all children. From his point of view, cultural participation is not a privilege given to children, but a right that should be recognized for them from the beginning. We read the full text of this interview together.

What place does the audio book have in the lives of blind children and how can it help them to continue to connect with the world of stories, imagination and children's literature?

Audiobooks for blind children are not just an alternative tool for reading; It is a way to access the vast world of stories, imagination and new experiences. Through stories, the child gets to know different characters, experiences new situations, gets to know his feelings better and develops his imagination. These are the common needs of all children and no child should be denied access to books because of differences in access to books.

I believe that every child, regardless of how he experiences the world, has the right to access quality literature and be free to choose his favorite book and story. Of course, access to audio books alone is not enough; We should think about equal access to cultural products, educational opportunities and the possibility of active participation of children in artistic and social activities.

What was the motivation of Mehrsa Publications to involve blind children in the production of audio books? Was your goal simply to produce an audio book or did you want to provide these children with a new experience of presence and social participation?

For me, this issue has been beyond the production of a cultural product from the beginning. Due to the fact that this form of content is especially important for blind children, as someone who is responsible for the production of Mehrsa audio books, it is important to me that blind children are not only recipients of cultural services, but also have the opportunity to participate in the creation of cultural works themselves. When we talk about children with disabilities, we usually focus on their support needs; While we should not forget that they, like all children, need new experiences, independence, friendship, cooperation, being seen and taken seriously. Self-confidence is not formed by saying words like "you can"; The child should have the opportunity to experience, make decisions, make mistakes and succeed.

When a child sits behind a microphone and their voice is published in the form of an audio book, they have a real experience of participation. He sees that his voice can be part of a cultural work and be heard by others. This experience can contribute to his sense of empowerment and social belonging. Of course, we don't want to expect these children to prove anything to others with their presence; We want them to have the opportunity to attend, because this opportunity is their right.

Last year you produced the audiobook "Differences Make Us Stronger" with the voices of blind children. What were the achievements of this experience and what made you decide to continue this path?

Choosing this book was meaningful for us because the issue of differences and their acceptance is related to the life experience of all of us. Difference is a natural part of human life and we are not supposed to be all alike to be accepted. The production of this work provided an opportunity for these children's voices to be heard. For me, the most valuable part of this experience was that such an activity can change the way we look at the participation of children with disabilities. When we talk about these children, we shouldn't just focus on limitations; We have to see what opportunities we provide them to experience their interests, talents and abilities. I would like the White Cane Day to not be just a date on the calendar for us; It should be a reminder to think about the presence and participation of blind children throughout the year. For this reason, this year we decided to produce an audio work with the voices of these children and this time in the form of a podcast, to provide more opportunities for their voices to be heard.

What challenges did you face when recording audio books with the voices of these children? How much did their ability to retain text, storytelling and voice performance surprise you?

In any recording project with children, we must tailor the conditions to their age, individual characteristics, and experience. This issue is also important for blind children; Not in the sense that they are necessarily less capable, but in the sense that we must provide the environment, the way the text is presented, and the recording process in a way that they can participate more calmly and independently. In such experiences, patience, flexibility and avoiding pressure for perfect performance are very important. We are working with a child, not a professional speaker, from whom we expect a standard and error-free performance. The goal is for the child to have the opportunity to experience and gradually become familiar with the space of recording and voice expression. What is important to me is that we should not judge any child's abilities before giving them the opportunity to experience. Sometimes we make decisions about other people's abilities because of our own preconceived notions; While it is enough to give them the right opportunity to discover their abilities.

Final quality is also important in the production of audio books, but we should not forget that in projects of this kind, the learning process and child's participation is also a part of the achievement of the work. Because these children have to read the text by touching it and being curious to get to know the studio environment, there was a possibility of extra sounds in the microphone and it caused us a little challenge, but the extraordinary ability of these children in memorizing the text solved the problem very soon.

Audio books produced with the voices of blind children have been made available to audiences through platforms such as Filmo, Taqcheh, Shenuto, Ketabrah, and the Mehrsa website. What was the feedback of the audience towards these works and do you plan to continue this experience in the form of a continuous series?

It is important for us to publish these works in different platforms, because the production of a valuable work can have a wider impact when it is accessible to the audience. We would like the voice of these children not to be limited to an event or a small gathering and that families, coaches, teachers and other children can hear it as well.

On the other hand, the public publication of the work conveys the message that blind children can play a role in the production of cultural products and that their works are part of the normal flow of publication and content production.

Regarding the feedback, it is important for me that in addition to the number of listeners and audience reactions, we also pay attention to the quality of their encounter with these works; Whether this experience has made them change their view on the participation of children with disabilities or think more about this issue.

The works that were produced with the voices of these children were very high quality, the children were typing and performed the text very dramatically, and if we didn't say that this book was produced with the voices of blind and partially sighted children, no one would have noticed and it was very popular.

Regarding the continuation of this path, I am also interested in this experience becoming a continuous flow; A flow in which blind children participate in more diverse situations than audio book and podcast production. It is important for us that this activity is not limited to an occasional action and gradually provides the basis for wider cooperation.

On the occasion of World White Cane Day, what responsibility do you think children's publishers have in providing equal opportunities for visually impaired children? How can we go beyond the production of audio works and provide the context for more active participation of these children in the process of book production and publication?

In my opinion, the responsibility of publishers for children and teenagers has two parts: first, to produce cultural products in a way that more children can access them; And secondly, to recognize the children themselves in the process of production and cultural activities.

We can produce more audio books and accessible products, but we also need to think about opportunities such as the presence of blind children in storytelling workshops, book reading sessions, launch programs, art activities and group experiences. We can even invite them to participate in book selection, podcast production, storytelling, or other areas that suit their interests and abilities.

Of course, real participation does not mean simply inviting the child to appear in a program and publishing a photo of his presence. From the beginning, we should consider the conditions of his presence in the design of the program, provide the possibility of his real participation and take his opinion and choice seriously. And the presence of blind children in cultural activities turns from a special event into a natural part of social life.

What do you think society should change when dealing with blind children? Can an overly patronizing or pitying look prevent them from participating?

Yes, I think sometimes our intention is to support, but the way we support unintentionally robs the child of the opportunity to experience. When we assume from the beginning that a child cannot do something because of blindness, we may even deprive him of the opportunity to try.

On the other hand, sometimes we see children with disabilities only when we are going to tell a story of their suffering, courage or extraordinary success. While these children have ordinary days, different interests, fears, mistakes and small and big dreams like other children. Not every one of their experiences needs to be a heroic story to be worth hearing.

I think we should move from pity to respect and from making decisions for the child to providing him with the opportunity to choose. Real support means removing unnecessary barriers, providing appropriate facilities and allowing the child to experience according to his interests and abilities.

I would like to one day have a blind child attend an art workshop, reading program or recording studio so naturally that the story is not about his blindness, but about his interest and participation.

If you want to express the message of this experience in one sentence for families, cultural activists and publishers, what would that sentence be?

I think we should return to the point that children are children before any difference; With the need for play, learning, friendship, independence and experience.

We should not wait for a child to prove his abilities to us and then give him a chance. It is our duty to give him the opportunity.

For me, this is the meaning of this activity in Mehrsa: we are not going to ignore the differences; We are not supposed to let differences be an excuse to be deprived of opportunities.

I would like to hear the voices of these children not only in an audio book; Their voices should be heard in decisions, in cultural activities and in social life. Because participation is not a privilege given to children; It is part of their right from the beginning.

Ferdous Soleimani said: Every child, regardless of how he experiences the world, has the right to access high-quality literature and be free to choose his favorite book and story. Of course, access to audio books alone is not enough; We should think about equal access to cultural products, educational opportunities and the possibility of active participation of children in artistic and social activities.

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