Agnieszka Kossowska

A doctor of the humanities, academic teacher at Opole University of Technology; chair of the FREE Foundation for the Development of Empathetic Education, manager of the Office to Support People with Disabilities, member of the Inclusive Education Team as part of the Nasz Rzecznik Civic Initiative.

Agnieszka Kossowska’s literature focuses on education and promoting tolerance and understanding for people with various kinds of disabilities and increasing consciousness about the lives of people with disabilities. Kossowska sees the significance and essence of her work in enacting such values as equality, justice, social solidarity and respecting the right to be different.

She wrote two short stories for ‘15 (u)ważnych opowieści. Disney’ (15 Attentive Tales: Disney, 2022). Her book ‘Duże sprawy w małych głowach’ (Big Issues in Little Heads) familiarises adults and children with disabilities, teaching tolerance and understanding. The book is divided into five parts: autism, mobile, sensory and intellectual disabilities, and epilepsy and developmental disorders tied to premature birth. In this publication, the child’s perspective is important – the stories are told from a point of view of children with disabilities, allowing readers to better understand their everyday experiences and problems. Moreover, Kossowska tries to topple the myths and biases surrounding disabilities, showing that the people grappling with various health issues on a daily basis are full-fledged members of society, less in need of sympathy than equal treatment. An asset of this publication is its educational value, as the reader may find instructive illustrations concerning sign language and the Braille alphabet.

For her contribution and commitment to people with disabilities, Agnieszka Kossowska has been named Ambassador of the UN Convention for the Rights of People with Disabilities. In 2017, the Spokesmen for Children’s Rights, Marek Michalak, named co-initiator of the Team for Developing Recommendations for Working with Children with Special Education Needs. She was also named Opole Ambassador to the European Union by the Opole Voivodeship Marshall (2021) and honoured with Opole’s “Heart of a Child” distinction (2022).