The Role of Cultural Events in Rehabilitation, Therapy and Education of People with Special Needs

Abstract

Cultural events play an important role in the development of an individual’s emotional, cognitive and social development; despite the individual peculiarities and differences of the participants, cultural events strengthen the unity of the group members. They develop the skills of cooperation and dialogue.

The research shows that nowadays the number of events aiming at raising cultural awareness, rehabilitation, physical-psychic therapy, interaction and sensitivity is quite a few. Most number of events has the function of having psychological effect on society. They mostly serve to form certain views, mood and thinking among people. Such events include special evenings, concerts or other kinds of performances dedicated to the people with special needs that emphasize the difference among people. These kinds of meetings can have a negative effect on people with special needs. Most people with special needs or sometimes all of them are passive listeners only. The events acquire the didactic role for the society rather than educational, rehabilitative or therapeutic function for people with any abilities. The events conducted for people with special needs are held quite often. So-planned cultural events cannot develop interaction and culture of communication among people with special needs and other members of society. It is vital to realize that number of cultural events with people of any abilities involved and accurately defined outcomes achieved by each participant as a result of the event is quite small.

Similar events not only support rehabilitation, therapy and education for people with  disabilities but also, they have a didactic function for society – acceptance of diversity, the feelings of fellowship and respect towards each other are developed. It is necessary to increase the number of events planned in the abovementioned way especially in the following educational institutions such as preschools and schools.

We can make conclusions of the abovementioned issues:

1. It is compulsory for the cultural events to fulfill the function of rehabilitation, physical-psychic therapy, interaction and sensitivity; the role of education in raising the cultural awareness;

2. It is necessary for the organizers of the events to know the methodology of planning and conducting cultural events;

3. It is important to choose the participants of cultural events taking into consideration diversity, different needs and abilities of people

4. It is vital to decrease to the minimum the number of events emphasizing the difference among people.

Keywords: people with special needs, cultural events, musical therapy, art therapy, psychodrama, dance therapy, interaction, sensitivity, raising cultural awareness.