European Week for the Employment of People with Disabilities 2026: 3 Reasons to Experience Dans le Noir? as a Team

Every year in November, the European Week for the Employment of People with Disabilities (EWEPD) calls on companies to take action on the issue of disability in the workplace. In 2026, the 30th edition will take place from November 16 to 22, with the theme “Demystify, Simplify, Support: Employment for All.” In France, the unemployment rate among people with disabilities remains, year after year, significantly higher than that of the general workforce. The EWEPD exists precisely to highlight this reality and urge companies to take action beyond a single week of awareness-raising. 

However, beyond poster campaigns and webinars, more and more companies are looking for a concrete way to mark this week with their teams. At Dans le Noir ?, the concept is simple: a meal, a workshop, or a team-building activity experienced in total darkness, guided by blind or visually impaired staff members. No lectures, no PowerPoint presentations, just a hands-on experience that everyone enjoys in their own way.  

So here are three reasons to book it for EWEPD 2026. 

During EWEPD, employees are exposed to a great deal of content related to disability: statistics, video testimonials, posters in the hallways, and internal emails. While these formats serve a purpose, they often place employees in the role of observers rather than active participants. Once the week is over, there is sometimes little of substance left. 

At Dans le Noir ?, the concept is reversed. During the meal or workshop, it is the blind or visually impaired guides who take the lead: they welcome the guests, seat them at the table in complete darkness, and, for a few hours, become the group’s only points of reference. No explanation is needed to convey what living with a visual impairment is like on a daily basis: the experience speaks for itself. 

This shift in perspective is precisely what distinguishes firsthand awareness from secondhand awareness. Participants don’t leave with statistics in mind, but with a concrete experience of what it means to navigate, communicate, and trust without sight for the duration of a meal. 

The guides who accompany each tour are trained specifically for this task: managing a group, providing reassurance, and adjusting the pace to suit the participants. Their role is not to represent disability, but to bring the tour to life. 

In the dark, the usual cues disappear: you can no longer rely on a glance, a posture, or a position in the room. Communication inevitably becomes more direct, and listening takes center stage; two elements that are just as important in a work team as they are at a dinner with colleagues. 

For a department, management team, or Works Council, organizing a Dans le Noir ? event during EWEPD allows you to: 

• step outside the usual setting of the office or meeting room; 

• share a collective experience where everyone depends on others for a while; 

• leave with a shared, tangible memory that’s more memorable than a conference; 

• naturally open up a discussion about disability in the workplace, without having to force the issue. 

The available formats are tailored to the group’s size and schedule: lunch or dinner, a sensory workshop, or a collaborative game in the dark. Each activity is led by the Dans le Noir ? staff in a welcoming atmosphere, and the duration may vary depending on the activity chosen. 

Discover our team-building packages

A team meeting never really comes together on its own: it requires a date, a reason, and a bit of collective momentum. EWEPD provides just that excuse. Rather than letting the week go by with just an internal newsletter, it can become an opportunity to set aside a real time to come together once a year. 

Booking a table or a workshop at Dans le Noir ? during the week of November 16–22, 2026, allows you to bring together a department, an entire team, or multiple locations for a single event that’s easy to organize and budget for. 

For companies that want to take it a step further, Dans le Noir ? also offers awareness workshops and disability training sessions that can be incorporated before, during, or after the week. Please note that the availability of these workshops may vary by location. Feel free to contact us for more information. 

Learn about our awareness workshops

No special preparation is required of participants. The group is welcomed into a well-lit room, where the details of the experience are explained before they enter the darkness; bags, cell phones, and any other light-emitting objects are left in a secure area to ensure that the darkness remains complete throughout the experience. 

The guide seats everyone at the table and remains available throughout the meal or workshop. Groups can range from a few employees to several dozen people, allowing us to tailor the package to suit everything from a small executive committee to an entire site. 

We invite you to contact us so that we can work together to create the package that best meets your needs. 

Dans le Noir ? welcomes companies year-round at its restaurants in France and around the world. The week of November 16–22, 2026, is a particularly ideal time to organize this event with your teams: the date is set, the theme is cohesive, and the experience speaks for itself. 

Contact our teams to design a program tailored to your group, or book your EWEPD session directly in the city of your choice. 

                                               Paris                      Starsbourg                    Bruxelles                     Londres

                                            Bordeaux                   Toulouse                    Luxembourg                Lisbonne

                                             Marseille                      Tours                          Genève                     Mexico city 

                                                                  Nantes