Transcriber: Nazarbek Nazarov Reviewer: Robert Tucker
Hello.
When people first meet me,
some of them tell me that they don't understand me well.
Let's see if you can.
We are going to do some parroting.
Repeat after me.
Voices.
Repeat what I say please.
Now, I'm going to say a word, and you will repeat after me.
Opportunity.
Audience: Opportunity.
Bobobek Khalilov: Silent.
Audience: Silent.
BK: Silence.
Audience: Silence.
BK: Very good.
(Laughter)(Applause)
OK, you can stop now.
Let's kick off!
Do you like to be silent?
As a deaf person, I know a lot about silence:
it is my world.
But I decided to speak up and break the silence.
I also know a lot about ability.
It is not a word every child learns very early,
but I had to learn it quickly when I was four
because everyone kept using it around me.
And guess who is abled.
Yes, me, you, them, and everyone,
both disabled and non-disabled people.
I am not saying it
because I am trying to be a motivational speaker.
I am saying it because the Cambridge University Dictionary
defines "ability" as having the necessary physical strength,
mental power,
time,
money,
skill,
or opportunity, to do something.
It says "or", not "and."
To do something, whatever it is, to be successful
takes some of these things, but not all.
So you can have physical strength and mental power,
but no time or opportunity.
In my case, I don't have one [of those things]:
physical strength,
because I am deaf.
But I can have and make time, skill, and opportunities,
for my success.
People, all people, regardless of defects,
are capable of achieving what they set their mind to,
even if they are called "disabled."
The word "disability" does not define them;
they define why it exists with their own beliefs and actions.
People may be disabled
physically, mentally, or emotionally,
but they own something special within their spirits,
such as inner strength and talent.
(Whooping)(Applause)
But their capabilities and talents
may not be quickly evident to the external world,
not even to the people who help them or can develop them.
And they may not possess the same capabilities and talents:
everyone has different potentials and gifts.
Just think of Nick Vujicic,
Stephen Hawking,
Andrea Bocelli,
and such people who have contributed to society and this world,
regardless of their outward lack of abilities.
Now, we are going to do some kind of game.
Please, raise your hand in case what I say is true for you.
I am young.
I am talented.
I am good at math.
I can lip-read.
Who can lip-read?
Ah, nice.
I can use a sign language.
OK.
I can learn lip-reading.
I can learn a sign language.
I am abled!
Please raise your hand, everyone, raise your hand,
because remember what I told you earlier:
that everyone is abled.
(Whooping)(Applause)
You see, you see, if you are abled,
if you are -
if you are young or feel young,
if you have a talent or can develop it,
if you have a skill or can develop it,
let me tell you one thing:
you are a member of a community.
And we all want to be included.
For example, not everyone is equally good at math,
writing, cooking, or painting.
Everyone has certain areas
in which they may be better at than others.
That's why each person,
regardless of their physical, mental, or emotional disabilities,
can use their own hidden gifts
to make the environment we live in to be more accessible to other people.
Do you think that the world is equally accessible?
OK, no one, no one.
And I also don't think that this world is equally accessible,
and I agree that we all should stand up against it.
We should make this world even more accessible for everyone,
despite of their disabilities.
Do you know anybody who is also abled in a similar way [as] Hawking or Vujicic?
Have they done something great?
[Maybe] they could have,
but they didn't have the same opportunities.
Why haven't we been seeing more accomplishments like that?
Because we do not understand
the lives and perspectives of disabled people.
We may sidestep their issues
and exclude those disabled people from society.
Honestly, most people believe
that disabled people cannot live as full a life as everyone.
We think of being disabled as a curse.
But, as I said,
I believe that everyone is abled,
and I will insist on providing equal opportunities for everyone,
especially, especially, especially,
to the unseen, unspoken and lost people
who are not allowed to contribute to society.
For instance, because disabled people are excluded from society in Uzbekistan,
we do not realize what their needs are.
When someone is excluded from Uzbekistan society,
even if you want to help them, you cannot guess what they need.
Let me give you some hints:
braille for the blind, books for the blind,
wheelchair paths,
closed captioning - subtitles - for the hearing disabled,
education system that caters to the needs of such people,
jobs for the disabled.
I know some of them are obvious, but I have to highlight them.
Disabled people have a really hard time finding jobs
because the employers do not think they can do it.
They focus on what the disabled cannot do,
and not on the job description.
Maybe, maybe, this specific job requires this talent that this person has.
Let's see how not to waste this talent.
Also, think about education and culture.
When a hearing-disabled person goes to a museum,
there are no interpreters
that can translate their tour to a sign language.
It discourages hearing-disabled people from going to such places
and developing their interests and talents.
Do you remember when I asked you if you were good at math?
Do you?
OK.
If you were good at math,
did the teachers and other students
call you clever?
Probably they did.
Which is great.
But it also made people who didn't have this talent feel stupid.
So, would it be fair
if we were to consider someone who is bad at math
to be unfit to be a part of society?
Of course not.
Because here we have people who said they weren't good at math
but they are still someone -
but they are still good at something else.
Probably at writing.
Probably at singing, music,
and, and -
I see, I see, disability as the lack of talent
people may have in certain areas.
It's only that it is easier
to be able to tell if someone cannot walk or hear
than it is harder to be able to tell if someone is bad at math.
Therefore, people with noticeable disabilities
are often discriminated against,
but people with bad math skills
may not be.
Were you?
If people are not given an opportunity
to try doing something or learning something,
then society cannot guess what they may be good at.
That's why we really should give them a chance and help them do everything
in order to find their passions.
You may, you may wonder why it is so important to help people.
Because now we know that we are all abled,
and abled people can help
make the society a better place for all of us,
why not use it?
Also, plus, plus, people who get involved
will appreciate being a part of community,
and will not only fulfill their dreams, but achieve great things for all of us.
(Applause)
The greatest thing is that we are not too far from this goal.
In Uzbek culture, we know what community means.
One of the biggest things I appreciate about my culture
is the feeling of togetherness between people
at weddings, at funerals, and so on.
We do not [leave] our people to be on their own or in retirement homes
when they are weak and old,
and we do not let our friends or family members
to go through hardships on their own.
We stand by them
and help them get through life and hardships.
I believe this is one of the strengths of the Uzbek people.
I have come this far because of the support and help
of my family and friends.
I have been able to attend school, high school, university,
and be involved in all areas of life
because of my family and friends
who have helped me every step of the way.
There is -
there is a saying in Uzbek:
Bitta kalla yahshi, lekin ikkitasi yahshiroq.
In English it means:
One head is good, but two heads are better.
Now, imagine what 100 heads can do,
especially if they break the silence,
spread the word,
talk about silent,
talk about disabled,
But even more importantly, help them break the ...
silence.
(Applause)
I believe, I believe, we, as a society, and as Uzbek people,
can apply this value of togetherness to create opportunities for everyone.
I believe, in return,
this society will benefit
from the hidden gifts that each of us has.
It seems that such a society
that creates such environments
for everyone regardless of their age,
sickness, ability, or disability,
would be a better place to live in.
Thank you.
(Whooping)(Whistling)(Applause)