Dialog in the Dark Kuala Lumpur by Dialogue Includes All

I first heard of Dialogue in the Dark (DID) many years ago, after seeing an advertisement for it on a wall somewhere near my workplace. Eager to find something new to do on weekends, I quickly jotted down the details.

Back then, it was located in The Weld Kuala Lumpur*.

*They have since rebranded themselves as Dialogue Includes All and relocated to Strand Mall, Kota Damansara.

As a side note, some years back, I had a wonderful “blackout dinner” at Dining in the Dark, Kuala Lumpur. Motivated by that positive experience, I knew I had to try DID as well, although to be honest, I had no idea what it was.

Was it some kind of forum or debate? A group discussion? I hoped not. I’m social-phobic, and anything that suggests “conversation” makes my stomach flip a little.

Table of Contents

What is Dialogue in the Dark?

The history

Dialogue in the Dark was founded in 1988 in Germany, after a journalist at a radio station was asked to develop a rehabilitation program for his blind colleague.

This task made him realize the difficulties faced by blind people on a daily basis, and led him to create an exhibition called “Dialogue in the Dark”.

Quite unexpectedly, the exhibition received an overwhelming response from the public, and has since been presented in more than 180 cities in 40 countries.

Dialogue in the Dark currently operates over 20 permanent exhibitions around the world.

In Malaysia, DID was initiated in 2012 by Mr Stevens Chan, a successful business consultant who lost his eyesight to glaucoma.

The concept

Dialogue in the Dark in Holon. Credit: Amos Ben Gershom / Wikimedia Commons

The concept of Dialogue in the Dark is actually pretty simple.

It’s a tour carried out in specially constructed dark rooms, where scent, sound, wind, temperature, and texture are used to replicate daily environments, such as a park, a city, or a restaurant.

Similar to Dining in the Dark, visitors are led by professionally trained visually-impaired guides.

A reversal of roles is therefore created: sighted people are taken out of their familiar environment and placed in the hands of visually impaired guides, who provide both safety and a sense of orientation.

Vision & mission

The mission of Dialogue in the Dark is to raise awareness and facilitate social inclusion of marginalized groups. Right now, there is still a gap between the blind and the sighted, and their goal is to bridge that.

In addition, Dialogue in the Dark aims to create jobs and training opportunities for disadvantaged individuals by turning perceived limitations into strengths, while also boosting their self-esteem.

How to book

At the moment, bookings can only be made through their website or via phone call at +6018-296 8828.

My experience at Dialogue in the Dark

I visited the one in The Weld Kuala Lumpur.

Just one floor down from the main entrance, I came across an outlet with glass doors and a large red wall inside, bearing the name “Dialogue in the Dark” in Chinese, English, and Braille.

The spacious foyer was dimly lit and rather sparse, with only a bench in one corner.

I suppose the minimal setup had a purpose — to make it easier for blind individuals to move around without too many obstacles in their way.

On the right, there was a small cafe selling a variety of drinks, desserts, and snacks. Off to one side stood a display of Braille postcards and greeting cards for sale.

I hadn’t even started the tour yet and the place was already making me stop and think. It had never crossed my mind that blind people are often denied the simple joy of receiving greeting cards on their special days.

It’s just one of those small things we take for granted.

By then, I was being attended to by a staff member named Faris. He gave me a short briefing about the experience and what to expect during the dark tour.

One of the reminders he emphasized was to always use my voice when communicating or raising any concerns. I was not to rely on visual cues like raising my hand to draw attention or nodding my head to indicate agreement.

This is common sense, of course, but for those of us who are so used to seeing, a reminder helps.

After storing my belongings in a locker, Faris led me to a doorway ominously marked “The Dark Tour”.

The “Dark Tour”

In semi-darkness, I was handed a walking stick — the white kind used by blind individuals. Faris showed me how to use it to detect obstacles in my path. And that was all the training I got.

After that, I was led past a blackout curtain into complete darkness.

Mind you, this isn’t the kind of darkness you get at home, where your eyes eventually adjust and you start to make out vague shapes.

No. In this dark tour, there isn’t a single speck of light. You see absolutely nothing. No blindfold needed.

All you have are your walking stick and your other senses.

Faris then handed me over to my guide, who introduced himself as Shafiri. Using only his voice, he guided me through a simple obstacle course designed to mimic everyday situations.

Throughout the tour, your guide doesn’t hold your hand or touch you in any way. You find your way using your own instincts and your guide’s verbal instructions.

If this sounds scary, it really isn’t. The guides are professionally trained to keep you safe. They move at your pace, slowing down and stopping whenever needed.

Best of all, everything is done in a relaxed, casual manner. There’s plenty of chatter and laughter along the way.

I was especially amazed by how skilled my guide was. At one point, I wondered aloud how he could tell exactly where I was without me making a sound.

For a moment, I genuinely thought he might be sighted and secretly wearing night-vision goggles.

I thought he was wearing night-vision goggles. Source: Wikimedia Commons

During the 1-hour tour, we stopped at four different “destinations”, each with a task for me to complete. One involved drawing something on a blank postcard. I chose to draw a portrait of Shafiri, based on how I imagined he looked.

The other tasks were just as fun and challenging. I’d love to share them all, but part of the experience lies in the element of surprise, so I’ll leave the rest for you to discover yourself.

At the end of the tour, we stepped back into the light, and for the first time, I saw my guide.

He wasn’t wearing night-vision goggles.

He was completely blind.

We sat down afterward to unpack the experience together.

I had never personally known a blind person before, so I had plenty of questions. One of them was whether it was rude to use the word “blind,” and if there was a term he preferred.

He said that, personally, he preferred “blind” because he didn’t like beating around the bush. Using euphemisms like “visually impaired” can suggest that being blind is something to be embarrassed about. At the same time, he acknowledged that others might feel differently.

When asked about the biggest challenge he had faced in this line of work, he recalled the time when he had to guide a deaf person through the dark tour.

I can’t even begin to imagine what that must have been like. If you happen to get Shafiri as your guide, ask him about it.

Final thoughts

The main reason I became so interested in understanding the world of the blind is that I’m a highly visual person. I learn best by seeing. Most of the things I enjoy — reading, writing, drawing, traveling — would be incredibly difficult without sight.

At one point, I found myself wondering what my life would look like without it. Would I still consider it worth living? Would I be able to cope?

The Dark Tour gave me a glimpse into life without light. It brought my attention to things I would never have considered otherwise.

In both Dialogue in the Dark and Dining in the Dark, I think I did pretty well, if I may say so myself. But I’m fully aware that these controlled experiences are nothing compared to the challenges blind individuals face every day.

I would highly recommend this experience to anyone. It takes you out of your comfort zone, humbles you, and leaves you with a perspective that stays long after the tour ends.