During White Cane Week for the Visually Impaired, we talked with our external stakeholder, who has visual impairment, Ahmet GÖMEÇ, who works as a central officer at the Burdur Defterdarlığı, about the problems faced by individuals with visual impairments in their daily lives and listened to his suggestions on how to guide individuals with visual impairments. We planned to introduce GÖMEÇ, who also introduced applications used on smart mobile phones for individuals with visual impairments, to our students.
The historical background of White Cane Week for the Visually Impaired dates back 102 years. It is seen that James Biggs, a photographer in Bristol, England, lost his sight due to an accident and painted his cane white to be seen more clearly by drivers due to his anxiety about the traffic density around his home, and that this movement turned into a campaign in February 1931 as a national white cane movement participated by individuals with visual impairments, becoming a symbol of independence for individuals with visual impairments.
The White Cane, introduced by James Biggs and becoming a symbol of a global movement in 1931, enables individuals with visual impairments to move safely and independently. It is also recognized as a universal symbol indicating that the bearer has a visual impairment. At the same time, it symbolizes freedom and independence and is an important symbol that unites and mobilizes society. In this context, to raise social awareness, the period from January 7 to 14 is referred to as “White Cane Week for the Visually Impaired” every year.
