“The White Cane Charity Festival offers people with visual disabilities the opportunity to discover their talent and express themselves. It is very symbolic that the anniversary concert was held on International White Cane Day, which has become the motto of the blind person. This date remains unchanged: tolerance, equality, integration. In Moscow we try to follow these principles every day,” said the deputy mayor.
According to him, about 10,000 people with visual disabilities live in the capital and they all receive comprehensive support from the city. This is not only about social benefits, but also about all the conditions for obtaining education, comprehensive rehabilitation, professional and creative development.
“The Diana Gurtskaya Foundation for helping blind and visually impaired children “At the Call of the Heart” is our friend and constant assistant in the implementation of such projects. With the support of the foundation and the Diana Gurtskaya Center for the Social Integration of Muscovites. People with disabilities undergo comprehensive rehabilitation through creativity and even have the unique opportunity to perform on stage together with Russian pop stars. During the White Cane years, more than 11 thousand visually impaired children from Russia and the CIS countries took part in the festival. , – noted Rakova.
The White Cane Festival is one of the most exciting creative events for blind people. This year, around 950 visually impaired children from Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan participated in the qualifying rounds of the competition.
XV International Festival for Blind People “White Cane”. Photo: Provided by the press service of the Moscow Social Development Complex.
The finalists of the festival had the opportunity to perform on the same stage with famous artists. In addition, children and young people with disabilities between the ages of five and 35 can reveal their creative abilities at the Diana Gurtskaya Social Integration Center, unique not only in Russia but also abroad. An accessible environment has been created here, digital solutions and modern infrastructure facilities are used for visitors. The center has 16 creative studios: voice, theater arts, choreography, modeling and a film school.
Moscow also has all the conditions for obtaining quality education. For example, boarding school No. 1 has been operating for almost a century and a half, where students achieve excellent results at regional and All-Russian Olympiads, sports competitions and creative competitions. The institution also runs a preschool department for children from three to seven years old.
In addition, visually impaired Muscovites actively participate in the development of an inclusive environment in Moscow and acquire social entrepreneurship skills thanks to the “Act without barriers” program.
XV International Festival for Blind People “White Cane”. Photo: Provided by the press service of the Moscow Social Development Complex.
