Can a children's book introduce children to concepts like diversity? Aliki Ouromidou says a big "yes" through the book "The special friends of Alki".
What is inclusion?
The smooth coexistence of all individuals in society, without discrimination, must be the goal of our current society. This is precisely what the term 'inclusion' stands for, which is increasingly becoming a topic for discussion, especially in the fields of education and society in general.
Equality and social justice is a right of all people without exception. Nice! We learned the concept of inclusion, but what does it actually do? Is inclusion an act? And if so, in what way? Are we as ordinary people capable of accepting diversity? Yes! Again YES! We can do anything if we want to. As long as there is someone who can provide us with the right information and even from an early age.
The value of empathy in the children's book
Not to scare our children, but the opposite. To equip them with knowledge, with empathy, with kindness, with patience and perseverance. To learn diversity, to love their weaknesses, to take care of their fellow man. To speak with kindness and act with courage.
And imagine all this fitting into a book. The children's fairy tale is the perfect opportunity to inform and spread all knowledge. A children's fairy tale is so powerful that it has the ability to touch the minds of children, but why not adults, so tenderly and at the same time so meaningful. Thoughts, imagination, information, motivation, colors are some key words that characterize a good fairy tale. How much more so when this fairy tale is written to send messages about the inclusion of people with special needs.
Alkis and his special friends
This was also the source of my inspiration for writing such a children's fairy tale. A fairy tale in which reference will be made to a group of children with Special Educational Abilities, whose goal is to spend their summer vacation as beautifully as possible. A really light story, with nice moments and nice images. Each of them, unique with their own particularities, gives their little stone to the society we live in. We learn their characteristics, their capabilities, their weaknesses and we learn about the love and support they ask only from us.
The children's story, "The Elk's Special Friends", by iwrite publications is the perfect opportunity to sit our children, students, nieces, nephews, friends and loved ones to listen for a moment and be informed, reflect , maybe they can help so that we can all together raise a new generation of children both close to our human nature which is empathy, and to the ingenuity of new ways that will make the daily lives of these individuals better and safer.
Never forget: it's about the love and understanding they want from all of us. Let's keep our hearts open and embrace diversity.
-Aliki Ouromidou,
Author of children's books
