The city of Alicante has introduced the ‘Cambia el filtro’ campaign, aimed at challenging prejudices surrounding intellectual disabilities. This initiative is organised by Fundación Mapfre in partnership with the APSA association and will be present in Plaza Séneca for two days, encouraging residents to reconsider their perceptions of individuals with disabilities.
Begoña León, the city’s Councillor for Social Welfare, expressed gratitude to Fundación Mapfre for choosing Alicante for this important awareness initiative, stating, “It is essential to put ourselves in others' shoes, change our perspective, and free ourselves from prejudices to advance towards real inclusion and a more just, empathetic, and supportive society.”
The ‘Cambia el filtro’ bus is part of a broader initiative that travels to 20 cities across Spain, inviting citizens to question their biases and discover new ways of understanding the realities faced by individuals with intellectual disabilities and rare diseases.
The launch event was attended by several key figures, including Juan Manuel Galbis, the territorial director of Social Services, Family and Childhood of the Generalitat in Alicante, and Fernando Romero, director of the Training and Employment Area of APSA.
The campaign aims to raise awareness about rare diseases and intellectual disabilities, highlight the work of associations supporting these individuals and their families, showcase the value of workplace inclusion, and encourage community participation in solidarity projects.
An immersive experience
The ‘Cambia el filtro’ bus offers an immersive and participatory experience designed to provoke reflection on the prejudices and labels that shape our perceptions of others. The journey begins outside the vehicle with a photo booth where participants can play visually with filters of various colours and formats, symbolising the campaign's central message. APSA also has an information point set up in this area.
Inside the mobile unit, visitors can access real testimonies that illustrate how first impressions can obscure abilities, talents, and life stories that are only revealed when looking beyond prejudices. An interactive activity presents different narratives from two perspectives: one influenced by stereotypes and the other reflecting the reality that emerges when those filters are removed.
This proposal allows participants to practically experience how the same person can be perceived in vastly different ways depending on the observer's viewpoint. Additionally, a coffee tasting experience is offered, using two different types of filters to demonstrate how the method of preparation alters the flavour, aroma, and sensations.
The experience concludes with a collective digital mural titled 'Miradas que suman', where visitors can leave reflections, learnings, or personal commitments following their visit to the bus.
