Special Issue DIGEST 1 (2023)

Independent Living in Europe and Beyond: Past, Present and Future

Guest Editors: Teodor Mladenov (University of Dundee), Ines Bulic Cojocariu, Lilia Angelova-Mladenova, Natasa Kokic and Kamil Goungor (European Network on Independent Living – ENIL)

We invite you to read the first of our Special Issue Digests. This Digest is written in Plain English. To provide readers with a choice of formats, the digest is published as a word document (accessible to screen-readers) and a flipbook.

We are also delighted to announce that this is a multi-media Special Issue. ENIL has conducted a series of interviews with Independent Living activists from across Europe and we are hosting these on our YouTube channel. All have subtitles. This was a substantial project led by ENIL to mark the 50th Anniversary of the birth of the Independent Living Movement and the 10 ENIL Freedom Drives that have over the past 20 years. We believe and hope that this Special Issue and associated interviews will be an important resource for researchers, educators, policy-makers, disability activists, advocates and other allies.

Interviews with Independent Living Activists

These interviews were conducted by staff members of the European Network on Independent Living (ENIL).

Click on the hyperlink ‘Interview with Name’ or the button labelled ‘CLICK HERE’ to go to each interview.

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Logo of ENIL

Interview with Adolf Ratzka (Independent Living Institute, Sweden), conducted by Lilia Angelova-Mladenova on 29 August 2022.

Interview with Antonia Trikalioti (I-Living – Independent Living Organisation of Greece), conducted by Kamil Goungor on 3 August 2022.

Interview with César Giménez (Independent Living Andalusia, Spain), conducted by Kamil Goungor on 5 August 2022.

Interview with Diogo Martins (Centre for Independent Living, Portugal), conducted by Kamil Goungor on 28 July 2022.

Interview with Elena Pečarič and Klaudija Poropat (YHD – Association for the Theory and Culture of Handicap, Slovenia), conducted by Lilia Angelova-Mladenova on 25 August 2022.

Interview with James Cawley (Independent Living Movement Ireland), conducted by Ines Bulic Cojocariu on 15 September 2022.

Interview with John Evans OBE (Independent Living activist from the United Kingdom and co-founder of the European Network on Independent Living), conducted by Ines Bulic Cojocariu on 10 September 2022.

Interview with Milica Mima Ružičić-Novković (Centre ‘Living Upright’, Serbia), conducted by Ines Bulic Cojocariu on 15 July 2022.

Interview with Nicolas Joncour (CLE Autistes, France), conducted by Natasa Kokic on 1 August 2022.

Interview with Vanya Pandieva (Centre for Independent Living – Sofia, Bulgaria), conducted by Lilia Angelova-Mladenova on 25 August 2022.

Interview with Suvad Zahirović (Information Centre for Persons with Disability ‘Lotos’, Bosnia and Herzegovina), conducted by Natasa Kokic on 29 August 2022.

Interview with Vibeke Marøy Melstrøm (ULOBA, Norway), conducted by Lilia Angelova-Mladenova on 18 August 2022.

The European Network on Independent Living (ENIL) is a user-led network of disabled people, with members throughout Europe. ENIL’s mission is to advocate for Independent Living values, principles and practices. The organisation is co-funded by the European Union. Website: https://enil.eu/

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