General

Tactile photo exhibition held in Singapore

In Singapore, a photo exhibition was organised where photographs were converted into tactile displays with captions in Braille exclusively for visually impaired people. This first endeavour has been made possible by the French photographer Yann Arthus-Bertrand and the eyewear designer Alain Mikli.

The exhibition ‘Touch and See’ had the photographs titled ‘Earth from above’, which enabled the visually impaired people to touch and feel the photographs that were on display.

World Disability Day celebrations

On World Disability Day (December 3), President Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam presented the National Awards for the Welfare of Persons With Disabilities 2005. On the occasion, President Kalam asked the state governments to nominate special commissioners to ensure the selection of the right candidates, to fill up the 3 per cent reservation in jobs for disabled people. He suggested that the special commissioners could work under the supervision of the overall coordinator in the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India.

Tourist brochures in Braille

 Visually impaired travellers entering Connecticut (U.S.) can get a welcome guide in Braille and in large prints at the state’s six tourist welcome centres. They can even get access to an audio version of Information brochure.<br><br>A few years ago, while travelling through Georgia (U.S.), Junerose Killian, noticed that the welcome centres had guides and pamphlets in Braille. She returned to Connecticut and realised Braille tourist brochures were not offered in the state and set about making it happen.

Braille magazine in Tamil

"Parvai Atror Kural’ has two objectives: identifying and encouraging the visually impaired writers to write stories, novels, essays etc and also help them express their grievances.

The print version of the magazine will also be made available to the subscribers. This novel initiative was announced by Professor M. Sahadevan, General secretary of the Tamil Nadu Unit, N.F.B., recently.

Blind Opera

Some visually impaired women in Kolkata are using theatre to connect with the world around them. These women belong to the ‘Blind Opera’, a performing art ensemble which is one of its kind in India. They are rehearsing for Rabindranath Tagore's 'Chandalika', a story about an untouchable girl who realises her worth as a human being when a Buddhist monk asks her for water.

Seeing through his lens

Like most people with a camera, he can't resist a photographic opportunity. But there is a difference, Dave Ducommun (Woodridge, U.S.) cannot distinguish everything that comes through his lens. He is legally blind.

"Probably the most difficult part is being able to switch, stop or the different settings most of these cameras have. It just takes longer," said Ducommun.

New Year gift to blind book lovers

This month, at the ‘Kolkata Book Fair’, ‘Voice of World’ will be ready to offer a new gift to the blind book lovers. The N.G.O. is going to release a Braille edition of Rabindranath Tagore’s short stories called ‘Galpo Guchha’ during the event.

The bank with a vision

Following discussions with the country’s ‘National Commission for Persons with Disability’, Bank of Valletta (Malta) has introduced this new service for its visually impaired customers to have better access to their bank accounts.

"At Bank of Valletta we are supportive of our customers' needs and always seek to tailor our services to the specific requirements of our customers," said Igino Xuereb, Chief Officer Operations at Bank of Valletta. "Indeed, mutuality is a core value of Bank of Valletta's promise,” he added.

Justice by blind juror

He was probably the first blind juror to sit on a Denver (Colorado, U.S.) jury. Joe Kovach, 29, recently sat on the jury that convicted gang member Timothy Guy Kemp of first-degree murder after a trial that lasted several days.

For Kovach, serving on the jury tested his senses and tested the ability of prosecutors, defense attorneys and Denver District Judge Morris Hoffman to put aside any beliefs they might have about a blind person sitting on a serious court case.

Garden of Senses

"It has been a challenge but I wanted to create the relaxed feeling you get when you are on holiday on a beach, and at the same time, recreate the sounds, textures, the scents and even the taste that you get in a seaside garden."

Garden designer Tracy Foster of Leeds (U.K.) has won a gold medal at the Gardeners' World show in Birmingham for her revolutionary £3,000 (approximately Rupees 2,37,000) seaside garden for blind people.