Make known the beauties of Cosenza but with a decidedly different perspective. This is the intent of the project “Cosenza in the dark” developed by SAM Odv, a voluntary organization expert in accessibility and autonomy of people with visual disabilities, in partnership with the Italian Union of the Blind and Visually Impaired of Cosenza.
A different walk
The project, which will take the form of an accessible itinerant route along the streets and historical-cultural places of Cosenza, will involve four sighted participants who will be blindfolded and accompanied by four boys with visual disabilitieswith the support of the vice president of UICI Cosenza, Roberto Crocco, expert in autonomy and typhloinformatics, and William Gatto, tour operator from Cosenza, in a walk that will lead them to discover the artistic-cultural treasures of Cosenza.
An itinerary full of art and many surprises
Starting from Piazza The innovative element lies in the methodological approach: discovering Cosenza literally in the dark triggers a change in perspective on the theme of accessible and experiential tourism as an opportunity to enhance the artistic-cultural heritage.
Three days to discover “Cosenza in the dark”
The three days (today, tomorrow and Thursday starting at 3pm) will see the collaboration of blind people and young sighted children, some of whom are students of Tourist Sciences and Cultural Heritage at Unical, with the aim of triggering mechanisms cooperatives and create an experimental peer-education experience capable of becoming a model of active inclusion that can be replicated on a large scale. The members of the UICI of Cosenza themselves will have a fundamental role in guiding and cooperating with the blindfolded kids along the itinerary. These actions are fundamental to create an environment in which young people and adults can interact, learning from each other regardless of personal conditions and the existence of disability situations, developing a sense of belonging to a more inclusive and compact community. “Cosenza in the dark” thanks to the identification process implemented, has the aim of raising public awareness on the issue of accessibility of urban mobility and artistic-cultural tourism, demonstrating that with simple measures even a blind person can move freely for the city and that the multisensorial it is the only prerequisite for an open culture within everyone’s reach.
