Roundtable Discussion “Inclusive Cultural Services: Technologies of Positive Interaction with People with Health Limitations”

On February 15 the Petrozavodsk City Administration hosted the roundtable discussion in the framework of the project of the CBC Karelia “Creation of New Sustainable Inclusive Cultural Services for Special Target Groups” (KA 3018) and the International Winter festival Hyperborea.

The project is the result of the activities of Petrozavodsk State University as the Flagship University aimed at implementation of the Agreement on Cooperation between PetrSU and the Petrozavodsk City Administration.

At the roundtable, those present discussed international projects and potential cooperation between Finland (Joensuu) and Russia (Petrozavodsk) in the area of development of inclusive cultural services, namely creation of Parafest for people with health limitations.

The participants of the discussion presented Finnish experience of organization of inclusive cultural services (as in the case of the Parafest festival in Joensuu, Finland), the reporter was Arto Pippuri, the second Deputy Chairman of the City Council of Joensuu, co-organizer of the Parafest in Joensuu. Marina Sevostianova, an elementary school teacher of the deaf and hard of hearing at the School No.25, shared her achievements in solving the problems related to cultural inclusive services.

The moderators of the event were the project manager Elizaveta Druzhinina, an employee of the Karelian Regional Institute of Continuing Professional Education of PetrSU, and the Director of the Rodnik Center Valentina Panteleeva. They emphasized the importance of hosting cultural events for people with special needs.

The Institute of Physical Culture, Sports and Tourism was represented by Olga Smirnova and Larisa Kielevlainen. They came forward with a proposal to involve resources of the IPCST in the organization of sports venues for the Parafest Festival.