Kalle Könkkölä in person - interview by Adolf Ratzka (DVD) torrent

Title: ”Kalle Könkkölä in person” interview by Adolf Ratzka November 2008
Copyright Independent Living Institute 2009 Language English Length 32 min
Camera and sound Stewart Anderson, editor Peter Lundén

Content:
In the relaxed setting of Adolf Ratzka’s home Kalle talks about his over 30 years as
disability activist and politician. With his characteristic dry humor he shares some of the
experiences and insights he gained in a wide span of positions and functions: student
with a disability at Helsinki University and founder of Threshold in 1973, a Finnish
disability organization based on the principles of Independent Living at a time when the
movement was hardly known in North America not to speak of Europe; cofounder of the
Finnish Green Party; politician at the Helsinki County Council; member of the Finnish
Parliament for the Green Party; vice-president and later president of disabled Peoples
International; founder and chair of Abilis Foundation which gives money to disability
organizations in developing countries. On a personal level Kalle talks about the
ventilator he’s been using for almost 30 years, how it improved his life and how people
react to it.
The interview with Kalle Könkkölä contains reflections and advice for the younger
generation of disability activists. He is a powerful role model demonstrating not only that
an extensive disability need to limit one’s life. His example also shows that working for
one’s own and other disabled peoples’ rights can be a rewarding and fun career.

See transcription of the interview on attached PDF