Dialogue in the Dark
Encyclopedia
Dialogue in the Dark is an awareness raising exhibition
. It is a social franchising company
, offering exhibitions and business training in total darkness, creating jobs for the blind
, disabled and disadvantaged worldwide. In Dialogue in the Dark blind guides lead visitors in small groups through different settings in absolute darkness
. The visitors learn how to interact without sight by using their other senses. The exhibition offers the public an experience that can change mindsets on disability
and diversity
, and increase tolerance
. Since its first opening in 1988 over six million visitors from more than 25 countries have experienced Dialogue in the Dark, giving over 6,000 blind people jobs.
.
The foundation stone for the social enterprise Dialogue in the Dark was laid in 1986. At that time the founder, Andreas Heinecke, worked as a journalist and documentary writer for a broadcasting corporation in Germany. One day he was instructed to develop a training program for a colleague who had lost his eyesight. At the first meeting Andreas Heinecke felt above all pity and insecurity. However, he was fascinated by the world of blind people, and he was shocked by the discrimination
against them, to which they are still exposed today.
In December 1988 Dialogue in the Dark had its premiere in Frankfurt
, Germany
. For over 10 years was touring throughout the world as a travelling exhibition
in museums or as a special event on fairs and festivals. The first permanent exhibition was established in Hamburg
, Germany (Dialog im Dunkeln) in 2000.
There have been exhibitions in more than 150 cities in over 30 countries in America, Asia, Europe and the Middle East. Meanwhile there are now permanent exhibitions in Japan, Italy, Israel, Austria and the USA. The most recent being the temporary exhibition in New York City which opened in August 2011(www.dialognyc.com).
The founder, Andreas Heinecke, was announced Social Entrepreneur by Ashoka
(2005) and the Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship
(2007).
Roles are reversed, because the sighted people are torn out of their social routines and blind people give them a sense of orientation and mobility. During and after the tour visitors have the opportunity to ask questions they normally might never have asked a blind person, reducing barriers on both sides. As a “platform for communication” the emphasis is not on blindness, but rather on the importance of empathy
and solidarity. The exhibition wants to facilitate social inclusion of marginalized people on a global basis.
The second goal is to create jobs for disadvantaged people by turning perceived deficits into potential assets. In fact, Dialogue in the Dark has as its mission “to facilitate social inclusion of marginalized people on a global basis”. This vision finds practical expression in the employment opportunities the exhibition creates for blind people.
Art exhibition
Art exhibitions are traditionally the space in which art objects meet an audience. The exhibit is universally understood to be for some temporary period unless, as is rarely true, it is stated to be a "permanent exhibition". In American English, they may be called "exhibit", "exposition" or...
. It is a social franchising company
Social enterprise
A social enterprise is an organization that applies business strategies to achieving philanthropic goals. Social enterprises can be structured as a for-profit or non-profit....
, offering exhibitions and business training in total darkness, creating jobs for the blind
Blindness
Blindness is the condition of lacking visual perception due to physiological or neurological factors.Various scales have been developed to describe the extent of vision loss and define blindness...
, disabled and disadvantaged worldwide. In Dialogue in the Dark blind guides lead visitors in small groups through different settings in absolute darkness
Darkness
Darkness, in contrast with brightness, is a relative absence of visible light. It is the appearance of black in a color space. When light is not present, rod and cone cells within the eye are not stimulated. This lack of stimulation means photoreceptor cells are unable to distinguish color...
. The visitors learn how to interact without sight by using their other senses. The exhibition offers the public an experience that can change mindsets on disability
Disability
A disability may be physical, cognitive, mental, sensory, emotional, developmental or some combination of these.Many people would rather be referred to as a person with a disability instead of handicapped...
and diversity
Multiculturalism
Multiculturalism is the appreciation, acceptance or promotion of multiple cultures, applied to the demographic make-up of a specific place, usually at the organizational level, e.g...
, and increase tolerance
Toleration
Toleration is "the practice of deliberately allowing or permitting a thing of which one disapproves. One can meaningfully speak of tolerating, ie of allowing or permitting, only if one is in a position to disallow”. It has also been defined as "to bear or endure" or "to nourish, sustain or preserve"...
. Since its first opening in 1988 over six million visitors from more than 25 countries have experienced Dialogue in the Dark, giving over 6,000 blind people jobs.
History
The founder, Andreas Heinecke (*1955), had both Jewish and German ancestry. At the age of 13 he realized that members of his mother’s family had been victims of the Holocaust and members of his father’s family had been supporters of the Nazi regime. From that point on Andreas Heinecke got involved with the issue of marginalizationMarginalization
In sociology, marginalisation , or marginalization , is the social process of becoming or being made marginal or relegated to the fringe of society e.g.; "the marginalization of the underclass", "marginalisation of intellect", etc.-Individual:Marginalization at the individual level results in an...
.
The foundation stone for the social enterprise Dialogue in the Dark was laid in 1986. At that time the founder, Andreas Heinecke, worked as a journalist and documentary writer for a broadcasting corporation in Germany. One day he was instructed to develop a training program for a colleague who had lost his eyesight. At the first meeting Andreas Heinecke felt above all pity and insecurity. However, he was fascinated by the world of blind people, and he was shocked by the discrimination
Discrimination
Discrimination is the prejudicial treatment of an individual based on their membership in a certain group or category. It involves the actual behaviors towards groups such as excluding or restricting members of one group from opportunities that are available to another group. The term began to be...
against them, to which they are still exposed today.
In December 1988 Dialogue in the Dark had its premiere in Frankfurt
Frankfurt
Frankfurt am Main , commonly known simply as Frankfurt, is the largest city in the German state of Hesse and the fifth-largest city in Germany, with a 2010 population of 688,249. The urban area had an estimated population of 2,300,000 in 2010...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. For over 10 years was touring throughout the world as a travelling exhibition
Travelling exhibition
A travelling exhibition, also referred to as a "travelling exhibit" or a "touring exhibition", is a type of exhibition that is available for circulation to one or more venues in addition to the premises of the organiser....
in museums or as a special event on fairs and festivals. The first permanent exhibition was established in Hamburg
Hamburg
-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
, Germany (Dialog im Dunkeln) in 2000.
There have been exhibitions in more than 150 cities in over 30 countries in America, Asia, Europe and the Middle East. Meanwhile there are now permanent exhibitions in Japan, Italy, Israel, Austria and the USA. The most recent being the temporary exhibition in New York City which opened in August 2011(www.dialognyc.com).
The founder, Andreas Heinecke, was announced Social Entrepreneur by Ashoka
Ashoka
Ashok Maurya or Ashoka , popularly known as Ashoka the Great, was an Indian emperor of the Maurya Dynasty who ruled almost all of the Indian subcontinent from ca. 269 BC to 232 BC. One of India's greatest emperors, Ashoka reigned over most of present-day India after a number of military conquests...
(2005) and the Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship
Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship
The Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship provides platforms at the country, regional and global levels to promote social entrepreneurship.- History :...
(2007).
Idea
The exhibitions idea is very simple. Visitors are led by blind or partially sighted guides through completely darkened rooms. They are confronted with everyday situations, like crossing a street or finding a bench in a park, without seeing anything.Roles are reversed, because the sighted people are torn out of their social routines and blind people give them a sense of orientation and mobility. During and after the tour visitors have the opportunity to ask questions they normally might never have asked a blind person, reducing barriers on both sides. As a “platform for communication” the emphasis is not on blindness, but rather on the importance of empathy
Empathy
Empathy is the capacity to recognize and, to some extent, share feelings that are being experienced by another sapient or semi-sapient being. Someone may need to have a certain amount of empathy before they are able to feel compassion. The English word was coined in 1909 by E.B...
and solidarity. The exhibition wants to facilitate social inclusion of marginalized people on a global basis.
Mission
Dialogue in the Dark has two main goals. The first is to increase the public’s awareness of and tolerance for “otherness”, thereby overcoming barriers between “us” and “them”. Sighted people enter the darkness and, as they experience their own limits, they begin to question their assumptions and prejudices. Placing themselves in the care of a blind person helps people become more receptive to the strengths of those who are often assumed to be weak. The darkness becomes a place for unencumbered communication and a beneficial exchange.The second goal is to create jobs for disadvantaged people by turning perceived deficits into potential assets. In fact, Dialogue in the Dark has as its mission “to facilitate social inclusion of marginalized people on a global basis”. This vision finds practical expression in the employment opportunities the exhibition creates for blind people.