Since my journey last summer to Prague, I have kept in contact with my new friends there. I met them while searching for the accessible wheelchair entrance to the subway. I never did find that entrance but, I found a group of people whom I became bonded to through their cause. Erik and Radek were on their way to meet a prominent film documentarian, Tomas Skrdlant. They were making a film on the lack of accessibility in the transportation of Prague. Of course, I had a few comments on the subject, as I had spent the last month in Prague trying to negotiate their transportation system.
I was asked to be a part of this documentary and I wholeheartedly agreed. It was finished and premiered in August. This film was the key to opening up a dialog with politicians in Prague. This problem could no longer be ignored. The Revolution had begun.
I recently saw photos posted by Erik on his Facebook page. It looked like a big demonstration happening in Prague, so I wrote him and inquired about them--and what was going on with the transportation in Prague. The demonstration was about the government giving less money to people with disabilities. He said it was the biggest demonstration ever in Prague. That is an area that they will have to continue to work on.
He also said that the good news was that they had a meeting with the Mayor of Prague and that the metro would be barrier free in ten years--and that they would know easily which metro stops were accessible in five years. This is very good news for the disabled people of Prague.
I hope to return to the city of Prague someday. I want to ride that transportation again with them and enjoy the beauty that Prague has to offer--not just to the nondisabled, but to everybody. Let the revolution continue.
