DTU hones in on diversity in collaboration with italian youngsters

On a square at DTU Lyngby Campus, Antonio, Barbara and Franco stand dressed in blue hoodies with a logo and white face masks. They are part of a formation of ten youngsters doing choreographed dance sequences to British singer Sting's hit song "Fragile". The performance ends with the youngsters taking off their masks and holding them up while looking out at the audience.

The youngsters are from the Italian association Juppiter, which fosters communities between talented young people engaged in theatre, music and sports and young people with developmental disabilities. Together they tour around Europe with the message: "On this stage we are not so different from each other. We all need each other's acceptance and support.”

Their show is part of an event organized by DTU Sustain, which focuses on inclusion and diversity. The department carries out research in accessibility and innovation in buildings and education.

"In my work as a researcher, I make sure to involve people with disabilities in the development of design solutions that meet their specific needs. It is therefore a pleasure to gain insight into the young people's challenges and hear their proposal for a culture that promotes inclusion and solidarity. It is important for advancing the research," says Luca Zaniboni, who is a postdoc at DTU. He researches the impact of the indoor climate on the well-being of autistic people and is one of the organizers behind the event.