A series of inclusive guided tours and lectures entitled “Feel the City by Touch” took place at Sumy National Agrarian University on 3, 17 and 28 April as part of the “Sumy Without Barriers: Seeing Together, Changing Together” project. The events were organised by the non-governmental organisation “Slobozhanshchyna Initiatives”.
The aim of the initiative was to create an accessible educational space for people with visual impairments and to promote the cultural heritage of the city of Sumy through interactive experiences. The programme of events offered a comprehensive introduction to the city The aim of the initiative was to create an accessible educational space for people with visual impairments and to promote the cultural heritage of the city of Sumy through interactive experiences. The programme of events offered a comprehensive introduction to the city’s history — from its founding to the present day — incorporating tactile, auditory and gustatory elements.
Participants had the opportunity to ‘experience’ the city through touch thanks to exhibits from the University Museum, including a mace, a Cossack flask, a flint, a papakha, headgear from the First and Second World Wars, packaged refined sugar, and a 3D model of A. Kruaz. The audio accompaniment included excerpts from performances by the Sumy National Theatre named after M. S. Shchepkin and the Sumy Regional Philharmonic. A separate part of the programme featured tastings of local produce — cheeses from the craft producer TM ‘Oberih’, ‘Sumy’ balsam from TM ‘Gorobyna’, and herbal tea grown on the grounds of the Sumy National Agrarian University.
“It was my first experience of shearing a guided tour for people with visual impairments, and specifically in the format of a lecture-tour. I was very nervous about whether everyone would enjoy it, about interacting with the participants in the right way, and about delivering the planned programme to the full,” said the event organiser.
As part of the project, a guest lecture and training session was also held on 21 April for students of the ‘Tourism and Recreation’ programme on the topic ‘How to interact tolerantly with people with disabilities’. The lecturer was Daria NEKOLIUK-SASSA, coordinator of the ‘Slobozhanshchyna Initiatives’.
There are plans to expand the practice of organising inclusive excursions and educational events for people with disabilities, particularly those with various forms of impairment, which will contribute to the development of a barrier-free environment and the fostering of a culture of inclusion in society.
