Each group made a forum and decided on future plans.This lasted for all the morning, until lunch time.

The students met to establish the International Platform of Students with Disability

 This was a process of negotiation, moving towards an agreement about the text for the platform and also the mechanism for how the platform will work. 

All the students were in this group, also with Gilles from ESDON;  Claire Ozel facilitated the session.  Translations into Turkish by Deniz Aydemir, into English by Claire Ozel. 

The draft text (that was prepared on Day 4, by all the foreign students, Evelien and Claire) was proposed for evevryone to discuss.   

VISION: all agree on the proposed 'Inclusive Universities Worldwide'; later a section 'leading to universal design' is added.

MISSION:

There was a debate about whether it should say 'Disabled students/ Students with disabilities' (students with disabilities) or 'all students'?  Would students with disabilities get lost if the words are  'all students'?

Many feel the focus must be clearly on the problems and needs of students with disabilities. 

“Against discrimination, includes students with disabilities” (Ayrimciliga karsi, engelli ogrenciler yapiyor.)

“If barriers and hindrances are removed are we equal?” (Engeller kaldirinca esitiz?)

“First stand up for your rights, then work with others.” (Natasa)

14 (out of 21) vote for  'Disabled students...'

However, after the group starts discussing the aims, Han and Jeroen point out that the Mission cannot only mention students with disabilities if the Vision is about ALL STUDENTS.  The group returns to the wording of the Mission: this can be general, and specific reference to students with disabilities can be given in the Aims. 

AIMS:

1.      Connecting students with STUDENTS WITH DISABILITY WORLDWIDE .

2.      Exchanging experiences; STUDYING IN HIGHER EDUCATION, SUCCESSES, CHALLENGES, AND OTHER TOPICS

3.      Sharing tips REGARDING STUDENT LIFE TO REMOVE HINDRANCES

4.      Empowering  students WITH DISABILITIES

5.      ENCOURING students WITH DISABILITIES TO BE AWARE OF  their rights

ACTIONS:

• Developing skills
• etc.... Nothing needs to be specified at this point, otherwise the Platform could fail if it doesn't do this specific action. 
• Actions that are not written can be done by the Platform: these can be decided by the group later. 

TECHNICALITIES:

Language:  Everything must be in English, to allow it to grow internationally, and for others to join. 

Steering committee:

How  many people in the committee?  Either 5 or 7, so that any votes will be clear (never 3:3 or 4:4)

The Steering Committee needs a Chair (Turkish), a Deputy chair (Dutch), and who else?  Does it need a Secretary?

Ozan will be 'Technical coordinator'.  Zeliha is selected  for international experience, and Deniz for English communication skills. 

There should be a constant search for talent in others: as students move on, others should be ready to take over: we need to be able to hand over to others. 

Gilles suggests just elect 5 or 7 people for the Management Group, then they can decide how to share roles later as things evolve in the next 3 months.

Management team: Zeliha, Ali Hikment , Ozan, Deniz , Huseyn, Ceyda. 

Need to speak in meetings in English.

Foreign students who are interested in being on the Steering Committe: Pasha and Georgi on the Committee; Han as adviser

Note: ESDON works in 4 countries; all management group members work on skype, and have a regular weekly meeting at a set time.

After lunch, at the closing ceremony, each was given a certificate and a set of 'Attitudes and Behaviour Cards'. 

Jan showed us his surprise; If someone really wants something and is determined, they can do nearly anything!

Participants were then free to visit Anit Kabir (Ataturk's Mausoleum), the Museum of Anatolian Civilisations or simply to walk around Ulus, Ankara's old citadel.  From then on people began to leave to return to their homes... then end of yet another project, where a group of people had had the opportunity to come together for a few intense day.  Each then returns to their regular life, with a little more experience and understanding, some more contacts, a few new targets and who knows what seeds will have been sewn: we will never know how many 'firsts' will follow from the feelings and words shared in these five days.