Today - International Day of Persons with Disabilities

UFA, 3 December 2015. /Bashinform News Agency, Gulfiya Akulova/. In many countries of the world the International Day of Persons with Disabilities is marked on December 3. It was established in 1992 by the UN General Assembly and is intended to draw public attention to the problems of people with disabilities, the need to protect their dignity and human rights.

In the world there are around one billion people with disabilities (about 15% of the population). In Russia, the number of citizens with disabilities reached 12.45 million. In Bashkortostan today 295 000 disabled people live, of which 14.6 thousand are children. In Ufa there are more than 73 thousand people with disabilities, 3700 are disabled children.

Since 2011, the State program of the Russian Federation "Accessible Environment" is implemented, under which a unified methodology for creation of a barrier-free environment for the disabled was formed. The Russian Government has extended the program for another five years.

By tradition, on the International Day of Persons with Disabilities celebrations with participation of sponsors, students and pupils will be held in all republican rehabilitation centres for children and adolescents with disabilities and their branches. Annually Ufa hosts the "Week of Kindness" - the campaign uniting proactive and caring citizens to help people and children with disabilities. Tomorrow, on December 4, the Ufa House of Creativity of Disabled People (17, Kustarnaya Street), invites at a celebratory concert.

The main event of the memorable day will be a gala concert of the third International Festival of Children's Creativity "Breaking Barriers". It will take place on the stage of the Ufa Congress Hall. The festival aims to unite at one venue creative healthy children and children with disabilities. Admission is free, beginning is at 13.00.