December 3 is the International Day of Disabled People. Yerevan Municipality in collaboration with the “Unison” NGO published the brochure entitled “The Capital of My Dream” in which dreams and wishes of people with disabilities of all ages are presented.
The brochure contains practical tips such as how to help people with vision or hearing disorders when they cross streets. According to the First Deputy Mayor Hrachya Sargsyan, the problems of people with physical disabilities are to be at the focus of attention not only on December 3. On this day the results of the activities carried out during the year are to be summarized.
“The city authorities think that systematic approach to the problem solution is to be taken, and the participation of interested parties is highly important as well”, said Hrachya Sargsyan.
“During the current year we turned to 50 organizations with the request to submit their proposals and approaches related to the city programs. Unfortunately, we got few responds. Financial means have been disbursed from the city budget of 2020 for the construction of wheelchair ramps. Besides, the project of furnishing streets with special tiles for people with poor eyesight will be fulfilled; sport schools will be provided with special equipment as well”, informed the member of the Council of Elders of Yerevan Sipan Asatryan.
Stressing the importance of the programs initiated and realized by the Municipality during the last year, the head of the “Unison” NGO Armen Alaverdyan outlined the main problems related to the city’s availability increase.
“Currently, the city is more or less adjusted for people with disabilities however there are still loads of problems to be settled. For example, one of the problems is visiting cultural centres as most of them have no availability for people with locomotor problems. We are willing to bring our contribution to the solution of the rooted problems”, said Armen Alaverdyan.
Touching upon the problem of public transport accessibility the First Deputy Mayor stressed that this aspect had been taken into account in the program of transport network reformation.
The participants of the meeting stressed that revelation and solution of the problems depends on the active cooperation of the beneficiary organizations with the city authorities as well.