IOANA MONICA ANTOCI

English | Romana | AHNR

     Founder and president of the Association of Persons with Neuromotor Disability from Romania (AHNR) and of AHNR - Arad Branch passed away on September 2, 2006.

     Arad lost on Saturday evening a personality who dedicated over 35 years of her life to the support of persons with disabilities for whom she had made everything that stands in a human's power.

     Ioana Monica Antoci was born in Buzau on the 6th of July 1945. She was married to actor Dan Antoci with whom she had two sons: - Manuel and Alexander.

     She dedicated her almost entire activity to persons with neuromotor disability having succeeded after 1989 to draw the attention of the whole country as well as of the responsible authorities upon them and upon the fact that these persons need a special attention and that they must be helped to integrate into society.

    Therefore she set the basis of AHNR and had an essential contribution in the elaboration of the first disability legislation from Romania (1991-1992). The name of Monica Antoci as well as that of AHNR is connected to the including into the democratic Constitution of Romania, in 1992 of the article that stipulates that persons with disabilities have the right to treatment, rehabilitation, education, training, social integration (this was Art.46 and it became Art.50 of the revised Constitution of Romania in 2003).

     She had a series of leading positions in different national organizations dedicated to the support and the integration of persons with disabilities, such as: founding and acting President of the Association of Persons with Neuromotor Disability from Romania –AHNR- national organization with the most intense legislative lobby and advocacy activity in the disability domain; Member in the College for the Counseling of Associations and Foundations; President of the National Disability Council from Romania (CNDR); Member of the National Consultative Council for Special Education of the Ministry of Education; Vice-president of the National Information and Cooperation Network for Community Integration of Children and Youth with Special Educational Needs - A-RENINCO-R; Member of the Consultative Council for Social Dialogue for the Problems of Persons with Disabilities of the National Authority for Persons with Disabilities from Romania ANPH; Member of the Consultative Council of the Prime Minister for Relations with NGOs. Due to her activity and her involvement in the problems of this special domain, Ioana Monica Antoci was one of the experts within the Group of Social Protection of the International Federation of Persons with Physical Disabilities –FIMITIC; Member of the Executive Board of FIMITIC and Responsible with Social Politics of Countries in Transition from Central and East Europe.

A lot can be said about the life and activity of Ioana Monica Antoci. Unfortunately, once she ceased existing the community of persons with disabilities from Romania lost a real support, lost a person willing to make everything for their integration, a leader, promoter and defender of their rights.

M A Y   S H E   R E S T   I N  P E A C E !

A few lines transmitted to the family from some persons and organizations that had as a dialogue and action partner, that knew her and appreciated her activity for the benefit of the persons with disabilities from Romania:

"Monica Antoci was a great personality and exemplary character at the forefront of the fight to improve the life of disabled people in Romania. She was not only a valuable leader to AHNR but a cherished cooperative colleague and friend cross borders, servant with knowledge and expertise. She provided tremendous energy to the community confronted with challenges of the increased awareness transforming the society. She talked to the decision-makers, but knew herself as mother of her son Alexander with a severe physical disability very well about the everyday life of people with disability.

Monica is an inspiration and role model.

We lost a great woman and a devoted fighter for the human rights of disabled people.

May you rest in peace, Monica!

We promise that we will keep fighting and what we want to say:
Thank you very much, dear Monica! We will remember you! "

Marija Lidija STIGLIC

Secretary General of FIMITIC, Germany

 

[...] Monica was a fighter.  A fighter for the rights of people with a disability and she was unafraid of anyone.  This brought her much respect.

I believe the whole disability movement in Romania and beyond will mourn her passing and for sure, no-one will or could, ever replace her.

I know a number of Councilors in Arad would watch for her coming as she would be sure to give them a good telling off when they did not do enough for the people in Arad who have a disability. [...]However, I guess Monica will, even now, be re-organizing Heaven!!

Philip Cotterill
 Director for Organization and Development
Kkirklees Metropolitan Council - UK

 

[...]It is no exaggeration to say that Monica has been a heroic figure. She was one of those very few people of whom one can say with certainty that without them many important good things which have been achieved over the last decade and more simply would not have happened.

I am sure we all remember, and will always remember, not only Monica's

clarity of vision and untiring energy but also the warmth of her

universal love for humankind which embraced and inspired everyone who had the good fortune to be with her. [...]

Patrick DAUNT

International Consultant Education & Disablity

Great Britain