The Shanghai Chang Ning Special Education Center wanted to organize an event on the International Day of Disabled Persons to highlight the difficulties that special needs children have integrating into society.

Our idea was inspired by the news. A special needs child was forced out of the classroom by 19 parents of his classmates. To mark this injustice, we decided to create a performance art piece; an interactive installation that would impact those who saw or heard about the piece.

Our event grabbed the most headlines during the International Day of Disabled Persons. In a one-month exhibition, more than 10,000 people tried to open the doors; 210 media outlets, including TV, radio, newspapers, magazines, web news, and so on, reported on this to an audience of 90 million. The good news: the child who sparked our idea has returned to the classroom, while the exhibit has been requested by five other organizations to, we hope, create even more awareness for our special needs children.

We installed 19 doors in a line. Members of the audience were asked to find their way through all 19 with a set of unmarked keys. Those who completed 18 would discover the 19th was impossible to open. All in all, this poignantly showcased the gargantuan obstacles special needs children have to fit in at school and in the community.

This event grabbed the most headlines during the International Day of Disabled Persons. In a one-month exhibition, more than 10,000 people tried to open the doors; 210 media outlets, including TV, radio, newspapers, magazines, web news, and so on, reported on this to an audience of 90 million. The good news: the child who sparked our idea has returned to the classroom, while the exhibit has been requested by five other organizations to, we hope, create even more awareness for our special needs children.