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Even despite the hustle and bustle of the pace of today's life, we unmistakably recognize people on the streets whose opportunities are limited. They are difficult for one simple reason: it is much more difficult for them to live in this world adapted for healthy person. In order to draw attention to people with low vision, October 15th is International White Cane Day.
Mankind, unfortunately, does not always realize in time the degree of importance and severity of restrictions for a person who has lost his health. He has to first independently, sometimes alone, overcome the difficulties of everyday life. It's now set up various societies helping to solve the life problems of such people. But quite recently this was not the case at all.
The idea of using a warning sign for the blind
The history of the appearance of this attribute in the everyday life of visually impaired people appeared much earlier than International White Cane Day. She is almost 100 years old. The idea belongs to the English photographer James Biggs, who lost his sight in his youth because of this. It happened in 1921, when a cane was still an essential attribute for every gentleman. The only way for him to adapt to walking on the street was to "feel" the road. This could only be done with a cane. But neither passersby nor drivers understood these movements, and therefore did not give way to the blind Biggs. The solution was found when he realized that it was the cane that had to be visible before he was knocked down. Friends helped turn an ordinary cane into an attribute of a blind person, painting it in From that moment on, much in Biggs's life changed.
Initially, the spread of the idea of a white cane for the blind occurred only from the words of the most resourceful Englishman and his friends. They advised all acquaintances with serious vision problems to use this attribute for the convenience of moving around the streets. It took the English blind another 10 years of waiting until one of the most famous charities addressed this issue. Thanks to the press coverage of this topic, blind British people received white canes for the first time through the Red Cross.
Distribution of the white cane around the world
By 1930, the idea of a cane for the blind had crossed the English Channel. France already had schools for the education of visually impaired children, the first of which was founded by Valentin Gayuy. The Louis Braille font, which is used today for reading by all people with visual impairments, has already received application.
The active dissemination of the warning attribute of a blind person in France was carried out by Gwilly D "erbemont, an aristocrat known in her homeland as a protector and patroness of blind people. It was she who suggested that the Paris authorities support the initiative to provide the blind with special canes.
A broad campaign that unfolded in the United States in the 60s of the 20th century clarified the problems of disabled people for American society. At the initiative of the Federation of the Blind and with the support of L. Johnson, on October 15 it was named a white cane. After 1964, this day received the status of a special annual date.
In 1992, the World Blind Union attempted to unite the International Day of the White Cane under the patronage of the UN, which would make it possible to solve vital important issues the blind of all nations. But so far this call has not been heard, and each organization seeks support from the government of its country on its own.
Day of the Blind in Russia
The initiatives of the Russian Society of the Blind were first supported only in 1987. Today, in our country, the issues of equality of the blind and tolerance for them are covered regularly, but especially widely - on the International Day of the White Cane. Events dedicated to the main task - the integration of visually impaired and blind people into public life, are held regularly. This is not only holding seminars, lectures and meetings, but also providing practical assistance to those in need.
Sunglasses that cover your eyes regardless of the season, the barely noticeable sound of a cane tapping on the asphalt are constant companions of blind or visually impaired people. As a rule, they are also accompanied by a faithful guide - a dog equipped in a special harness with already famous sign red cross.
The main issue is tolerance.
International White Cane Day 2014 was entirely devoted to the issue of tolerance. Each of us must learn to understand that for a blind person, deprived of the happiness of seeing a colorful world, a cane is not only a tool for movement, it is his “eyes”. The understanding of such complexity of perception comes only in "practice". On this day, many sighted competitions were held, where situations of loss of vision were simulated. by the most in a simple way turned out to be in which it was necessary to try to complete tasks, to cope with the situations surrounding blind people in everyday life.
Another reason to try to equalize the rights of the blind and "try on" the life of these people is the International Day of the White Cane.
The desire to understand and accept
Almost all categories of disabled people have their own system of warning signs, by which any passer-by can easily determine that there is a person in front of him, probably in need of help. For people deprived of the ability to see, such a distinctive sign is a white cane. Seeing a person with a white cane, we know unmistakably that this person either sees poorly or does not see at all.
International White Cane Day, the Day of the Blind, as it is otherwise called, is not only words that tell about the difficulties of the disabled. This is the desire to understand the people living next to us, and accept them as such.
The world community is celebrating the International White Cane Day, the establishment of which was facilitated by the efforts of the International Federation of the Blind. white cane symbolizes people who are deprived of the joy of seeing. In many European countries and the United States, the middle of the last century was marked by the activation of social public policy aimed at studying the issues of improving the quality of life of disabled people. The outreach campaign resulted in the announcement of White Cane Day. It was first celebrated in the USA in 1964. Then this important undertaking was picked up by other countries, it acquired the status of a world date in 1970.
There are about 170 million people on the planet who have lost their sight due to various circumstances, or have been blind since birth. Thus, it is important to draw the attention of the world community to the special needs of the blind.
The history of the "birth" of the white cane
The white cane, as a kind of assistant to a blind person, appeared in 1921. The idea of its creation belongs to the blind Briton James Biggs. Having become blind due to an accident, he was forced to adapt to an independent life, in the conditions that fate presented him. Bigs stated for himself that with his usual black cane for walking, he does not differ from other passers-by, so he decided to modernize it. Painted white, the cane attracted the attention of others, which is especially important - drivers, performed a signal function, thus providing Bigs with more confident movement and safety on the road.
A useful innovation, James began to advise his "friends in misfortune." lucky invention spread throughout England, other countries of Europe and America. In the 30s of the last century, an active social activity aimed at using a white cane. One of the associates of this movement was Guilli d'Herbemont, who paid great attention help for the blind.
Over time, the white cane turned from a signal about a blind person into effective remedy orientation for the blind. For example, a long gun made it possible to study the road more thoroughly and carefully, to adhere to landmarks. The sound from the impact, the sliding of the white assistant on the surface help the blind to determine the presence of houses, trees, parked cars, steps, curbs, pits, and, therefore, to bypass obstacles along the way.
The tool for the blind has been constantly upgraded, qualitatively changing. Wooden, cane, bamboo products have changed to steel, aluminum, using fiberglass, composite materials. They have become lighter, but at the same time much stronger. The latest developments are electronic sensors that are equipped with "helpers" of the blind. Innovations are endowed with the ability to detect obstacles at a distance, informing their owner about them using a sound signal. So far, new scientific achievements in the field of converting canes for the blind have not become widespread, since they have not yet reached perfection, and are quite expensive in price. But there is no doubt that progress will move towards helping people with special needs. At the same time, the white cane will remain a symbol of the blind person.
Meaning of White Cane Day
The main purpose of adding this day to the international calendar is to remind the world community about the problems of people who, due to limited or lost vision are deprived of the opportunity to contemplate the beauty of the surrounding world, to admire the riches of nature and architecture. The duty and duty of society is to take care of them, to promote mainstreaming, integration and adaptation of people with special visual abilities in modern society.
Traditionally, charity events, tournaments and competitions are held on this day among people who are deprived of the ability to see, but who selflessly want to live and enjoy our wonderful life. It is symbolic that three important words are the motto of this day: “Equality. Tolerance. Integration".
To draw attention to the problems of the visually impaired in most countries, including Russia, white cane months are held.
The movement itself arose in 1961 in the United States on the initiative of International Federation blind and celebrates his birthday on the birthday of the French educator, the founder of the first educational institutions for the blind in France and Russia by Valentin Gayuy - 13 November. All-Russian Society the blind joined the movement in 1988.
From the history of the white cane
The first blind person who decided to use a white cane for orientation was the English photographer Jaime Biggo, who lost his sight after an accident. Moving through the streets of cities, he was afraid of cars, which became more and more every day, and in 1921 he decided to paint his cane white so that drivers could notice him at any time of the day. Almost immediately, the white cane became a symbol of the blind man.
Prior to this, the blind, like the sighted, used walking sticks, canes made of reeds - such, for example, was used by Louis Braille. White canes were held vertically by people, today this type of cane is known as a support cane. There are also variations of canes, for example, white canes with red stripes are used only by deaf-blind people.
A white cane is primarily a means of orientation for the blind, with its help a person determines what obstacles stand in his way, but at the same time, a cane is an indicator that the person walking with it is visually impaired.
Types of canes
Modern industry pays great attention high-tech production of white canes. This is due to the fact that a strong, reliable cane will not only serve a person for a long time, but will also contribute to a better orientation of the blind in space.
The choice of cane depends on the subjective characteristics of the person and the cane itself. In particular, on the walking style of the blind, on his height, on the flexibility of the cane, its length, shape and model of the tip, resistance to stress and aesthetic properties. And of course, from the conditions in which it is planned to use it.
All white canes, also called tactile canes, have the same purpose - to help a blind person in the process of orientation, however, depending on the type of cane, its use may be preferable in one place or another.
All canes are divided into folding and non-folding.
Clumsy canes are flexible and rigid. A flexible cane does not find its use in orienteering, but it is used by people practicing a fast walking style, or athletes involved in walking or running. Such a cane allows a person to quickly reduce the speed when moving, while he does not stumble on a cane, which absorbs due to its flexibility.
A rigid cane is indispensable for spatial orientation; it is used by people who hardly use transport and do not visit public institutions.
Folding canes are also divided into two groups - telescopic and composite. Telescopic has adjustable length. They are often used in teaching spatial orientation. They are of little use for constant spatial orientation, since after each folding it is necessary to adjust the length again, and if at least one link is deformed, it is generally impossible to use such a cane.
Composite canes are the most popular. As a rule, they consist of 3-5 tubular links having a cylindrical or conical connection between them and fastened with a hat elastic. At the bottom, the elastic ends either with a knot that rests on the last link of the cane, or it is put on the hook of the tip, which is less productive, since when replacing the tip, the cane can be completely disassembled, and putting it back together is a serious job. At the top, the elastic is attached to the hook of the handle, which can be made of plastic, wood or fabric.
Regardless of what type of cane a person uses, it remains the most important means of rehabilitation for the visually impaired and a tool for moving the blind in space.
People who are completely immersed in darkness are easy to see in a crowd. Them distinctive feature are black glasses, walking sticks or guide dogs. But in the cycle of events, many do not pay attention to them. It was for the purpose of informing the public about the problems of people who do not see the world, about providing them with assistance and support, that this international holiday was established.
When does it pass
International White Cane Day is celebrated in many countries every year on October 15th. It was installed in 1970 at the initiative of the International Federation of the Blind. In 1987, the celebration was joined by Russian society blind and held events dedicated to this event.
Who notes
International White Cane Day is celebrated by members of societies for the blind around the world, as well as blind people who are not members of these organizations.
history of the holiday
In 1921, the British photographer D. Biggs, after an accident that led to loss of vision, had to learn how to move independently around Bristol using a black cane. Neither drivers nor passers-by paid any attention to him, since his blindness did not attract anything to him. Then he decided to change the color of his cane and painted it white. Thanks to this action, others began to notice him and provide assistance in various situations on the road. This idea was picked up by other blind people living in England, and later in other European countries.
Early 60s. was marked by a great attention to the study of the life of blind people. In 1965, the US Congress approved the regulation on the celebration of White Cane Day and fixed the date of the annual event - October 15th. In 1970, during the meeting of the International Federation of the Blind, this holiday was recognized as international. Starting from October 15, 1970, it began to be celebrated on a worldwide scale.
In 1992, the World Blind Union petitioned to celebrate this date as United Nations White Cane Day.
English gentlemen in XIX-XX centuries always had a brown cane with them. It was a sign of status and belonging to certain strata in society.
On February 7, 1931, an appeal by Mademoiselle G. de Herbemont was published in a French newspaper about the need for the blind to use only white canes. This recommendation has given rise to extensive discussions by many organizations, experts and people around the world. The controversy lasted for a long time. People with disabilities were encouraged to use canes with light signals or colored fluorescent paints, as well as to use armbands. And only in 1965, the European Regional Committee of the World Council for the Welfare of the Blind approved a resolution on the white cane as a distinctive sign of the blind and visually impaired people.
