The Cabildo of Lanzarote, in collaboration with the Association of Deaf People of Arrecife and Lanzarote (APSAL), paid tribute last Saturday to Ladislao Rodríguez Bonilla, popularly known as the “mute of Haría”. The event, held in the northern town, was part of the activities surrounding the International Day of Deaf People (last Sunday in September).
The Councilor for Social Welfare and Inclusion of the Cabildo of Lanzarote, Marci Acuña, pointed out how “this tribute not only highlights the career of a person who is well-loved in Lanzarote, but we also vindicate the right of all people with hearing disabilities to participate fully in society. It is about continuing to move towards a more inclusive and accessible island for everyone”, he said. Acuña also thanked the Haría City Council for its collaboration in these conferences.
The conferences also included a visit by the councilor to the APSAL facilities, where a biodanza workshop was also held. Likewise, among other activities, those interested participated in a talk and a workshop on cochineal developed in the socio-cultural center of Haría.
In addition, the program of activities on the occasion of the International Day of Deaf People, which began last Tuesday, September 23, included a conference on the role of sign language, entitled From cultural appropriation to deaf empowerment, by the expert Miguel Ángel Sampedro; as well as the turquoise lighting of the Cabildo facade, as a sign of support and visibility for the community with hearing disabilities.