The visit was organised by the Department of Services for Persons with Disabilities and Older People. Anıl Aslan, Head of Department, and Emin Baran, Head of the Disability Unit, took part.

Meeting with association members, municipal representatives discussed services to improve the daily lives of people with visual impairments and the goal of making the city more accessible. White canes were presented to association members during the visit. Members and representatives of the association welcomed the visit and thanked the municipal delegation.

“Creating an accessible city is a core policy of ours”

Speaking during the visit, Anıl Aslan, Head of the Department of Services for Persons with Disabilities and Older People, highlighted the importance of accessibility and equal living conditions. He said:

“Today is World White Cane Awareness Day, observed on 15 October. We are here to help raise awareness and show our solidarity with the Altı Nokta Association for the Blind. We approach this issue entirely from a rights-based perspective. Accessibility is one of our key priorities. Our core policy is to create a city that is accessible to everyone and offers equal living conditions for all.”

Stating that the municipality would continue its efforts to provide equal services to everyone living in the city, Aslan also called for solidarity, saying:

“As everyone who has a stake in this city, we will continue to do everything we can to provide all our residents with services on equal terms. Let us work together in solidarity to create a city that is liveable and accessible to everyone.”

“Cooperation with local authorities is vital”

Mehmet Akif Karakaş, Chair of the Diyarbakır branch of the Altı Nokta Association for the Blind, also stressed the importance of cooperation with local authorities, describing the visit as valuable to the association.

Thanking the municipality for presenting white canes to association members, Karakaş continued:

“They brought us white canes, a symbol of our independence and freedom, and presented them to us and our fellow people with disabilities. I would like to thank them sincerely. Cooperation between civil society organisations and local authorities is important. This visit is a clear demonstration of that cooperation.”