Minister joins White Cane Day parade at Expo

The event recognised the independence of people who are blind or visually-impaired

The Abu Dhabi Police band take part in the White Cane Walk at the Sustainability Gate down to Al Wasl Plaza with Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak, Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence. All pictures by Khushnum Bhandari/ The National

The White Cane Walk was held in celebration of blind and visually impaired people

Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak took part in the parade

The White Cane Walk was held on Friday in recognition of White Cane Day

The event was one of the highlights of another packed day of activities at Expo

Expo 2020 Dubai championed inclusivity on Friday by hosting a parade dedicated to the blind and visually impaired.

At 5pm, when the weather started to cool, crowds gathered at the Sustainability Gate to join in on a walk to celebrate White Cane Day.

Observed on October 15 around the world, the event recognises the achievements of people who are blind or visually-impaired, as well as their tool of independence, the white cane.

The group, joined by Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak, Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence, made their way down Sidr Avenue towards Al Wasl Plaza.

Organised by the Ministry of Community Development, the Dubai Police band led the parade, followed by blind and visually-impaired individuals who used their distinctive canes to map out the path ahead of them.

Blind or visually-impaired visitors

When Expo opened to the world earlier this month, it made a pledge to be one of the most inclusive to date.

Tactile paving is provided within the site in standard locations to provide guidance and warn of a change in walkway level.

There are tactile maps around the site that include Braille, embossed images and audio output.

They are located in Terra – The Sustainability Pavilion and Alif – The Mobility Pavilion.

There are hundreds of points of interest across the site that have audio content accessible via the Expo 2020 app too.

To make all visitors feel welcome, various exhibits in the thematic pavilions and around the public realm have scannable codes with audio description in Arabic and English.