Training for leaders in culture kicks off in Baku
By Rashid Shirinov
British Council Azerbaijan, in cooperation with the British Embassy in the country, Nizami Cinema Center and YARAT Contemporary Art Space, is holding a two-day training for leaders in the field of culture in Azerbaijan on May 24-25.
Elizabeth White, the Director of British Council Azerbaijan, noted at the press conference that cinemas have both social and economic incentives for focusing on audiences with disabilities, especially today, in an era of close attention to such issues as quality of life, social inclusion, creation of an inclusive environment and alternative sources of income in the sphere of art and culture.
The data by Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of Population show that the disabled make up 6.4 percent of the country’s population, while the global figure is 15 percent. This figure is expected to grow over the next few decades as the population of Azerbaijan increases.
The British Council Azerbaijan supports the development of an inclusive society where all people can participate equally in creative and cultural activities, to make their choice independently and with dignity. The two-day training focuses on how to make the cultural objects of Azerbaijan more accessible and inclusive, in accordance with the slogan "Equality, Diversity and Inclusiveness", as well as the strategy of Nizami Cinema Center "Cinema for everyone."
Director of the center Leyli Mirzoeva, spoke about the strategy at the press conference and shared information about the projects that Nizami Cinema Center is implementing among the community of deaf people.
The training in the YARAT Contemporary Art Space is conducted by British expert Jemma Buckley from the Independent Cinema Office. She talks about how to make cinema more accessible to viewers with limited hearing.
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Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov
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