In Russia there are more than 13 ml people with a disability, most of whom lack the possibility to integrate into regular everyday life at a full rate. The Russian society faces an important social goal – to provide these people with essential conditions for work, education, going in for sports, active rest, and firstly – for moving freely. Now, largely because of staging the 2014 Winter Paralympic Games in Sochi, we have a unique chance for systematic changes in this area.
Creating the environment suitable for PwD should start not only with introducing new building standards, but also with educational events. Well-qualified specialists, who acquired knowledge of international experience in creating barrier-free environment, paralympic sport, ethics of communication with PwD, will encourage the society to change their attitude to people with a disability and provide accessible infrastructure not only in the host city, but all over the country.
The RIOU workshop "Estimation of venue accessibility for people with a disability", which was opened on 3 October in Adler, is an important element in creating barrier-free environment in this country. Through the four-day course 65 participants, among whom there are Sochi administration and PwD organizations representatives, will get to know the basic Russian and international regulations, ensuring the rights of PwD, learn the methods of providing barrier-free environment in buildings, acquire the international experience through the examples of 2008 Beijing and 2010 Vancouver Olympic and Paralympic Games. The participants will study the principles of working with project documentation and the measures of administrative pressure to the venues owners who do not provide the norms of accessibility.
Renowned experts in barrier-free environment will deliver their reports at the workshop. The programme implies not only lectures but practical classes as well. The participants will examine the objects of culture, healthcare, education and transport outfitted with the equipment for PwD. On basis of the analysis conducted they will prepare the reports with recommendations for venues owners and managers how to increase the level of accessibility.
RIOU CEO Professor Lev Belousov in his welcome speech stated: "Creating complex barrier-free environment in our country has just started, and we need to undertake a huge job which will cover the changes in society attitude, improving rules and regulations, correcting state and private companies activity, and many other things. We need professional staff, people who are able to promote this process. I am convinced our workshop will contribute to preparing such competent specialists".
