Goal of the event:
The goal of the event was to celebrate international white cane day, to show our big support to blind people. To get educated in this topic. Learn something new and break stupid stereotypes.
Short description of the event:
At 15th of October is International white cane day so 3 sections of Kaunas decided to cooperate and make event “white cane day” to show support to people who are disabled and in need to use white cane, This thing is a symbol of independence and shows people that blind people can be active in society without anyone’s help.
The purpose of the event was to celebrate achievements of blind people, get to now more about blindness and show our support to them! We were playing orientation game about blindness, later we had meeting with the person who works with such people and has also small disabilities. We discussed a lot about blind people, about their life, break stereotypes, play a lot of games and express our emotions, also we share our experiences and relationships with blind people. With this event we joined International celebration of white cane day. We showed our support to them.
How did your event go?:
The event started at Kaunas church “Soboras”, white biggest church in the heart of Kaunas (inside of this church, first floor is also a museum for blind people, but as now it’s going reconstructions, its closed, so we didn’t visited it.) We put on the eyes the white sheets to “get blind” and started to walk to VDU hall direction ( in front and in the end there was persons who was watching and kind of giving orders how to reach the place ) We were holding each other’s hand, when we were more or less closer to the final destination we run a bit till the end.
After arriving we met a Person from Organization who works with blind people. She was also half-blind itself. She showed us, how is right way to lead the blind person, she gave some information about blind peoples life in every day activates, showed white cane, how to use it. We get information about reading/writing in Braille, shared our experiences, ideas, knowledge.
We also played some games (guessing the subject by closed eyes, trying to dance and etc.) She spoke also about sport activates, what kind of sports are popular and possible to do and how its different with the usual ones.
Students asked questions. After we discussed our emotions or feelings while running/walking game.
In the end we played one more game when one person is leading another from the one spot to another. Game is more about trust and the way how one person helps another, which ways he is choosing. The rules of game: There are 2 people (strangers) one is blind and another can’t speak. As I mention, the goal is to take blind person and lead to another spot so he would be safe. Mute person can use hand (in this part we give the key: touching left shoulder means turn left, right one.. to the right.. both hands on shoulder is – Stop. And both hands on the back is – start walking). They played this game, not everyone it was more or less by volunteering but more than half did it, later they changed the places. After we spoke about emotions how it was, what they felt, what was good and bad parts of it.
We took some group pictures and finished our event.
p.s: While event we had esn members/ volunteers who helped with translations ENG-LT.
