Have you ever wondered what it would be like to get around the city in a wheelchair? Thanks to the Skarrozzata di Bologna you can find out. The event is an initiative that organises wheelchair tours around different Italian cities. An original way of discovering a town or city's tourist spots and cultural places of interest from a different perspective: as a disabled person. As a result, all the participants will be able to understand the problems persons with reduced mobility encounter every day and provide possible solutions for improving the city's accessibility.

«La Skarrozzata, an original way of discovering a town or city's tourist spots and cultural places of interest from a different perspective: as a disabled person.»

'We try to reach people who have never been in contact with diversity or disability, especially young people, who are the future of tomorrow', explains Enrico, president of the Skarrozzata and a user of our handbikes. 'They will become engineers, mayors, town councillors, doctors or just normal workers who will be able to help find solutions to break down mental and architectural barriers; the same barriers encountered by parents pushing their children in strollers or tourists dragging their suitcases. It is a highly relevant subject that is not taken into account in Italy when it comes to designing the urban environment'.

«In September the Skarrozzata will take place in Castelfranco di Sotto, Bolzano, Itri and Pietrasanta.»

The Skarrozzata was first held in 2011, in Bologna and it hasn't stopped growing ever since, continuously thinking of creative ways to connect with society that will to bring to light the importance of improving accessibility in Italy. This year, the event will be held in Bologna, Asti, Fucecchio and Reggio Emilia; and in September it will take place in Castelfranco di Sotto, Bolzano, Itri and Pietrasanta. 'We don't know what will happen to the Skarrozzata in the future. We're trying to achieve other types of cultural and artistic projects, like the contemporary art competition #NoBoundaries (whose aim is to channel the world of art towards raising disability and accessibility awareness). The project has given us a great deal of satisfaction and we would like to propose it again, but to a different type of user'.

To organise a Skarrozzata you need: wheelchairs, a good route around the town and people who enjoying trying out new things and want to join in the game. These elements are enough to produce an enriching experience where everybody discovers the architectural barriers that exist in the town. At the end of the tour, the participants get together and share their impressions and offer ideas for obtaining new accessibility solutions. The proposals are then presented to the town's local council, so they can be included in future urban projects. 

«The contemporary art competition #NoBoundaries has given us a great deal of satisfaction and we would like to propose it again, but to a different type of user.»

Due to the difficulty of finding enough wheelchairs for all the participants, this year Ottobock, one of the most important orthoshops in the country and our partner in Italy, has undertaken to provide all the wheelchairs and support staff that are needed to ensure the success of the different Skarrozzatas. On the other hand, because it's important to find people who want to join in, many local associations usually become involved in the project so their volunteers may form part of 'a day of learning and awareness, where everybody has a smile on their face'.

«At the end of the tour, the participants get together and share their impressions and offer ideas for obtaining new accessibility solutions.»

In Batec Mobility we were fortunate enough to live this experience in 2015, as well as earlier this year, when everybody was invited to try out our handbikes. We hope we can carry on participating in such a rewarding project.

Because a picture is worth a thousand words, here's a video that shows the spirit of the Skarrozzata.