The first republican para-festival for visually impaired people will gather over 6,000 guests in Vitebsk

July 23, Vitebsk / Olga Bogacheva - BELTA /. The first republican para-festival for visually impaired people "Our Wave-2009" opens today in Vitebsk, Chairman of the Vitebsk Regional Organization of the Public Association "BelTIZ" Alexander Dubko told a BELTA correspondent.

The festival will bring together over 6,000 guests and participants, including delegations from Sweden, Kazakhstan, and Russia. It will open with a presentation of an exhibition of works by visually impaired people at the city center of folk crafts and arts "Zadvine". About 500 works, made in various techniques and genres, reflect the rich worldview of their authors - participants from all over Belarus.

A significant event on July 24 will be a meeting with the Swedish delegation. The guests will hold a practical seminar where they will present the latest typhlotechnical rehabilitation devices for blind people, introduce the basics of working with them, and also talk about creating a barrier-free environment in their country and achievements in this area. The Vitebsk Regional Organization will be presented with a Braille display as a gift - a special computer keyboard for the blind. This will be the first such tool in the region, noted Alexander Dubko.

On the final day of the forum, July 25, a gala concert will be held. 250 amateur artists from all regions of the country will take the stage of the International Festival of Arts "Slavianski Bazaar in Vitebsk". Famous Belarusian performers Irina Dorofeeva and Petr Yelfimov will perform with them.

The "Our Wave-2009" festival is being held for the first time. The event is designed to draw public attention to the problems of people with disabilities, the need to intensify activities to create a barrier-free environment. It is also a significant step in involving people with impaired vision and completely blind people in active life.-0-