By Wang Yanfang
An exhibition featuring cultural and creative works by women with disabilities opened in Paris on Sept. 3, coinciding with the atmosphere surrounding the 2024 Paris Paralympics.
The “Beautiful Crafts Workshop Blossoming in Paris” exhibition, displaying nearly 300 handcrafted items, aims to foster cultural exchange and showcase the talents of people with disabilities. Items on display include silk dolls, cloth tigers, fish skin paintings, wooden combs, wood carvings and ceramics.
Zhang Haidi, president of Rehabilitation International (RI) and former chairperson of China Disabled Persons’ Federation (CDPF), expressed hope that the exhibition would gain global recognition and help improve the lives of women with disabilities.
During the opening ceremony, UNESCO’s assistant director-general for culture, Ernesto Ottone, noted that the exhibition embodies the concept of an inclusive society and sustainable development. He added that the exhibition’s timing, coinciding with the Paralympics, highlights the common features of accessibility, inclusion, and diversity shared by sports and culture.
The exhibited works originate from over 30 “Beautiful Crafts Workshops” across Chinese provinces, including Guangdong, Shandong, and Hebei. Launched in 2022 as a joint effort by the China Disabled Persons’ Federation and the All-China Women’s Federation, the initiative supports handicraft businesses and organizations that enable women with disabilities to work from home or nearby locations. To date, the program has provided employment for more than 10,000 women with disabilities nationwide.
Tang Zhanxin, a representative of the “Beautiful Crafts Workshop,” shared her personal experience with the initiative, highlighting how it has enabled many women with disabilities in China to access stable employment and improve their livelihoods.
China plans to establish 100 additional “Beautiful Crafts Workshops” over the next three years, aiming to provide employment opportunities for 10,000 more women with disabilities.
