A walking club is using city tours to promote empathy and understanding for marginalized groups, including people with disabilities. Participants experience temporary disabilities to gain insights into the challenges faced by others.

The ‘Walking Club of City Readers’ organizes city walks where participants experience what it’s like to be disabled. By using tools like wheelchairs, vision-impairing glasses, and noise-canceling headphones playing disruptive sounds, participants gain a firsthand understanding of the challenges faced by people with disabilities. The goal is to foster empathy and break down social barriers.

Paul Splinter, a participant, described the experience as “oppressive,” noting how he instinctively withdrew and felt completely dependent on others. He believes everyone should have this experience to realize how the world is designed for those who fit a “standard.”

The initiative, organized by sixteen agencies, aims to combat segregation and promote understanding. Jesse Jörg, a programmer at Raum, explains that these walks help people step outside their “homogeneous circles,” reducing misunderstandings and unwarranted assumptions.

The walks take place across the country and in Belgium, each focusing on a different perspective. Future walks will explore the experiences of loitering youths, refugees, night walkers, and even animals like city pigeons. One walk in Leidsche Rijn focuses on empathizing with Nuri, an 11-year-old with autism, by listening to his mother’s account of his challenges. Nuri struggles with crowded places and communication, preferring quiet areas where he is understood.

Participants in the Leidsche Rijn walk, some in wheelchairs or wearing low-vision glasses, navigate the city, gaining insights into the difficulties faced by those with mobility or sensory impairments. Coco, a participant in a wheelchair, noted feeling excluded from conversations due to being at a different height and people talking behind her.

The walks also highlight the emotional and mental toll of disabilities. Bas van Geuns, a designer, realized the “infringement on your mental space” caused by disabilities. Natasja, an educator, hopes to gain insight into making education more accessible for all children, noting how quickly she became tired during the walk.

Even the weather contributed to the experience. Paul Splinter, wearing headphones and glasses, didn’t realize it was raining until he felt the drops, illustrating how disabilities can isolate individuals from their surroundings.