From 11 to 14 July, the Tall Ships Races Tallinn 2024, which takes place at the Seaplane Harbour, Old City Harbour cruise area and Noblessner Marina, focuses on people with special needs and on the accessibility of the event.
The subject of accessibility has become increasingly talked about in recent years. And while solutions are mainly being developed for people with special needs, any of us may find ourselves in need of new ways to participate in events or interpret information.
Jaanika Juhanson, the accessibility coordinator for the Tall Ships Races Tallinn 2024, stated that when it comes to people with special needs, we are no longer referring to a small group of people who have trouble moving, hearing or seeing due to a handicap. “Anyone can break their leg and need a wheelchair to move around,” said Juhanson.
“In such a case, how can they attend a concert if it’s only accessible through a narrow path? Or someone with a pram? Making the signs at the event larger benefits not only the visually impaired, but also elderly people with poor vision and even children.”
Another reason for focusing on accessibility is the understanding that no one in our small society is redundant. “If we create the right environment for people with different needs, they will gladly contribute to society,” Juhanson explained. “If a person in a wheelchair or an elderly person can go to work, they generally will.”
Considering the needs of various members of society may appear to be a simple task, but it is not always so. “It is definitely about how we are accustomed to thinking and acting,” said Juhanson. “If we are used to doing things in a certain way that works, it is difficult to adapt to new ideas. At the same time, as I read through numerous documents, I realised that, while the state has made significant progress in terms of accessibility, these principles have yet to be fully implemented.”
Juhanson believes that the City of Tallinn has made significant strides towards accessibility. A grant programme for cultural events for people with special needs has been established and a specific accessibility guide for the Tall Ships Races Tallinn 2024 event is currently being developed, which will be easily applicable to future cultural events. “Rather than just doing it for this one time, we are creating a model that will allow us to handle accessibility even more efficiently in the future,” said Juhanson.
The Tall Ships Races Tallinn 2024 festival will focus on people with special needs as well as event accessibility. The opening and closing concerts will include written and Estonian sign language interpretation, as well as audio description of the stage. Tours of the ships will be organised for various target groups, including the blind and visually impaired, the deaf and people with intellectual disabilities. Loop amplifiers for the hearing impaired and tactile maps for the blind will also be available at information points.
Additionally, festival volunteers will receive training on accessibility issues, such as how to share information. The “Special Sailors” inclusive project will allow people with special needs to go sailing and the Tallinn Race will include competitors in the para-athletics class.
From 11 to 13 July, an accessibility area at the Old City Harbour cruise area will be open, allowing visitors to learn about various disabilities and experience the challenges that people with special needs face in their daily lives through play. Julia Kabanova, a guide for blind people, will lead interested participants on a blindfolded adventure. Visitors can attempt to navigate an obstacle course in a wheelchair and participate in a wheelchair adventure. The North Estonian Blind Association will provide information on specific visual impairments and assistive devices. The Estonian Association of Blind Masseurs will offer on-site massages. There will be a Hearing Bus where visitors can have their hearing examined. The Estonian Association of the Deaf will teach basic expressions in Estonian sign language. There will also be a handicraft fair with items created by blind and visually impaired people, as well as people with intellectual disabilities.
Although there are numerous issues to address, Juhanson emphasises the importance of a change in mindset, saying, “By taking action in this manner, accessibility can become a normal part of life, not something that must be developed from scratch every time. This is the main goal.”
This year, the City of Tallinn will host the Tall Ships Races, the world’s largest sailing training regatta. The event will take place from 11 July to 14 July at the Seaplane Harbour, Noblessner Marina and the Old City Harbour cruise area.This grand maritime celebration will bring more than 60 large sailing ships from 16 different countries to Tallinn's harbours.
For four days, the harbours will be alive with festivities. You can visit sailing ships, listen to Estonia's best musicians and participate in activities on land and at sea.
Photo: Johan Hallimäe
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