All Inclusive: People with Disabilities Talk Straight
- 23.03.2026
- Practical Project
Panel discussion featuring speakers Marianne Hengl, Julia Porzelt, and Günter Knoll, moderated by Barbara Plank (from left to right).
The successful Cultural Experience (Kulturerlebnis) program once again provided a platform for dialogue. Under the title All Inclusive: People with Disabilities Speak Their Minds, students sent a strong message in support of inclusion, solidarity, and open dialogue between people with and without disabilities.
On 21 January 2026, students from the Sports, Culture, and Event Management program at Kufstein University of Applied Sciences in Tyrol hosted an inclusive panel discussion on the topic of inclusion as part of their practical project Cultural Experience 2026. In the university’s ballroom, experts and individuals with lived experience shared their personal stories, discussed societal challenges, and, with interpretation services in sign language, written language, and simple language, ensured barrier-free participation for over 80 attendees.
“It’s about seeing the person first, not the disability. That’s the only way to foster genuine inclusion,” says ÖZIV Chairman Michael Knaus.
It’s about seeing the person first, not the disability. That’s the only way to foster genuine inclusion.
Michael Knaus
ÖZIV President
The goal of the event was to highlight barriers and encourage open dialogue between people with and without disabilities.
OPEN DISCUSSION, PERSONAL INSIGHTS, AND CLEAR MESSAGES
The highlight of the evening was a panel discussion featuring Marianne Hengel (Chairwoman of RollOn Austria), Julia Porzelt (para-equestrian), and Günter Knoll (ÖZIV), moderated by Barbara Plank. The guests offered personal insights into their daily lives, shared their experiences, and delivered clear messages to society, the political sphere, and the cultural sector.
Following the panel discussion, the event concluded with a group photo featuring the project group and the moderator.
AWARENESS TRAINING AS A WAY TO CHANGE PERSPECTIVES
Following the panel discussion, ÖZIV - an organization dedicated to self-determination, equality, and inclusion for people with disabilities - hosted an awareness-raising course. Visitors could try out wheelchair rides or experience everyday situations with limited vision - a direct shift in perspective that made the barriers of daily life tangible. The evening was rounded out by catering from regional partners, while a segment on the regional station KBTV further introduced the event to a wider audience.
The evening vividly demonstrated how inclusion in action can work: through dialogue, mutual understanding, and the firsthand experience of barriers. For the students, the Cultural Experience 2026 was thus a successful practical project that impressively bridged the gap between theory and real-world practice.
Links:
- Cultural Experience | Instagram
- Sports, Culture & Event Management | ft
This article was written by students in the Sports, Culture, and Event Management program as part of a practical project.
