Dubai: The General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA) organised a special forum on Thursday to celebrate the visually impaired community in line with International White Cane Safety Day held every October 15.
A white cane is used by visually impaired people as a mobility tool and as a courtesy to others. It is recognised as the blind person’s mobility aid the world over. The day publicises the needs and achievements of blind people everywhere.
The forum held at the Dubai World Trade Centre at Zabeel Hall, titled ‘Al Manar 4th Forum’, was host to a large number of visually impaired Dubai government employees in a bid to promote awareness of the white cane.
Major General Mohammad Ahmad Al Merri, Director-General of the GDRFA, said the event was entirely organised and supervised by Manar Abdul Kader Al Hammadi, a visually impaired GDRFA employee.
“The GDRFA, out of social responsibility, has recruited 19 people with special needs including two women with visual impairments. Not only have they competently accomplished the tasks assigned to them, but some have [bettered] their [able] counterparts, as well. They are a national wealth that must be preserved,” said Al Merri.
During the celebration, he pointed out that President His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan authorised Federal law No 29 for 2006 concerning the rights of people with special needs, which established a new phase and important platform towards a better life for people with special needs and the need to integrate them into the community.
Al Hammadi said that every year the world celebrates White Cane Day in recognition of people who have lost their vision. On this day, the world participates in supporting them and providing all the necessary services to them at all levels.
Al Hammadi also made a presentation about how to deal with people with visual disabilities.
The event was attended by Song Yong-ho, General-Secretary of the Blind Union in Korea, who himself is visually impaired.
