"No more excuses - our time is NOW!" was the strong message of this year's Freedom Drive 2026, one of the most significant European gatherings of people with disabilities, activists and allies of the movement for independent living, held from September 29 to October 1, 2026 in Brussels.
This year's 12th Freedom Drive, organized by the European Network for Independent Living (ENIL), brought together participants from different parts of Europe with the aim of jointly advocating the rights of people with disabilities to independent living, choice, personal assistance, affordable housing, community life and equal participation in society.
The event was attended by eight members of the Information Center for People with Disabilities "Lotos" Tuzla, who with their participation contributed to the European movement for independent living and had the opportunity to exchange experiences, knowledge and examples of good practice with organizations and activists from numerous European countries.
Workshops, conferences, meetings with European decision-makers, public debates and a protest march to the European Parliament were organized during the three-day program. Topics included personal assistance, deinstitutionalization, housing, advocacy, accessibility, organizing people with disabilities and other key elements of realizing the right to independent living.
Suvad Zahirović, director of I.C., had a special place in the program. "Lotos" Tuzla, who participated as one of the speakers at the workshop "Starting a Center for Independent Living", dedicated to the role and principles of centers for independent living and ways of their development in local communities. During the workshop, experiences from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Sweden and the United States were exchanged.
An important moment for I.C. "Lotos" also represented the success of young member Ervin Ćosić, who is among the first winners of the Martin Naughton Youth Memorial Scholarship for 2026. The scholarship was established with the aim of supporting young activists for independent living, and Ervin, as a representative of Bosnia and Herzegovina, had the opportunity to share his experience with young people and activists from Europe.
The central part of the Freedom Drive was a protest march on October 1, during which people with disabilities and their allies took to the streets of Brussels to address their demands directly to the European institutions. The march ended in front of the European Parliament, where the demands of the movement for independent living were presented.
During the final day, a hearing was held in the European Parliament dedicated to the future multi-year budget of the European Union and the need for European funding to support independent living and support services in the community, instead of systems that contribute to the segregation of people with disabilities.
The participation of members of the I.C. "Lotos" at Freedom Drive 2026 once again confirms the importance of connecting organizations of persons with disabilities from Bosnia and Herzegovina with the European movement for independent living. Sharing experiences, joint advocacy and a strong voice of people with disabilities are key to creating a society in which every person has the right to choose where, how and with whom to live.
No more excuses. Our time is now!
