We continue to share the photos taken by the participants as part of the “Without restrictions” project. This time, images taken by young people from Lithuania.

Author: Ieva Gaučaitė

It is a huge privilege to be able to travel as a wheelchair user, especially knowing that not so long ago such people were forced to sit at home because of lack of accessibility. Thanks to the internet and booking sites, we can easily find wheelchair accessible hotels which makes things a lot easier. Unfortunately, we still have space to improve as some minor or not some minor aspects of accessibility, such as mirrors and clothes hangers are still often overlooked for various reasons. That’s why it is important to always cooperate with wheelchair users themselves in the process of making places more accessible.

Riga old town. As I traveled abroad for the very first time, it was paramount to me to visit and enjoy as many sightseeing spots as possible. Old town was one of them, as it is usually one of the main tourist spots in the majority of countries for its exceptional architectures or other objects worth seeing. Unfortunately, I cannot say that I enjoyed it to the fullest as I was mostly keeping my eyes on the cobblestones to not fall off the wheelchair and thinking about the back pain and fatigue that dealing with it has caused. I tend to strongly believe that such places could be easily made accessible and enjoyable for both disabled and non-disabled people while also preserving the authenticity of the place itself. We just need to make a decision.

Co-funded by the European Union. However, the views and opinions expressed are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the International Youth Programme Agency. Neither the European Union nor the Youth International Programme Agency can be held responsible for them.