WALK ALONGSIDE THE VISUALLY IMPAIRED

This project, organized and implemented by the Beijing Red Ribbon Blind and Visually Impaired Culture Service Center, aims to deepen mutual understanding between blind volunteers and visually impaired individuals through sports and gradually establish long-term partnerships. The goal is to provide more opportunities for visually impaired individuals to integrate into social life, promoting the integration of blind and physically impaired individuals. The project adheres to the concept of “Blind and Physically Impaired Together, Everyone Participates, Joyful Integration.” It has developed and conducted a series of inclusive activities, including long walks, marathons, and fun sports competitions, under the guidance of professional fitness trainers. Volunteers are paired with visually impaired friends, and they participate in sports activities together.

During these activities, mutual understanding between sighted individuals and the visually impaired deepens, gradually forming fixed and long-term community “running points.” This approach provides more opportunities for visually impaired individuals to integrate into social life and promotes social inclusion. Starting from the Touch Activity “Love Hand in Hand with the Great Wall in October” during the Blind Day in October 2004, the project has organized various events such as “Listening to the Sea” in Beidaihe, “Listening to the Wind” on the Inner Mongolian Plateau, “Watching Competitions” during the Olympics, “Walking Together” in Olympic Forest Park, and “Running Together” in marathons. With more than ten years of practical experience, the project has developed the “Happy Integration” Blind and Physically Impaired Together Fitness Program Guidebook, gradually achieving standardization. This approach makes blind fitness activities more systematic, scientific, and widely accessible within the context of the national fitness trend, benefiting more visually impaired individuals.

Since the 2008 Olympics, the project has been organizing the “Happy Integration” Fun Sports Competition for blind and physically impaired individuals annually, starting from the Blind Day in October 2009 until the present day.