BEIJING- Journalists from some Asian and Pacific countries visited Beijing Demonstration Center of Service for Persons with Disabilities (Hui Ai Building) on Wednesday (April 24).

The visit was arranged by the China International Press Communication Center (CIPCC).

During their visit, the journalists witnessed Beijing's achievements in developing programs for the disabled.

The visitors were present in the hall to receive an introduction to the center, watch a promotional video, and learn about the services provided for disabled people in Beijing.

The center features a specially designed spiral corridor called the "Hui Ai Corridor" that is accessible to both wheelchair users and visually impaired people, allowing them to easily reach the second floor. The corridor showcases various handicrafts, including oil paintings, fabric art, paper quilling, and carvings. 

The journalists were amazed by the exquisite works on display and noted that it would have been hard to imagine that they were created by individuals with disabilities had they not visited this location.

The Hui Ai Corridor is just one example of the numerous accessible facilities available throughout the center, ranging from crash rails and handrails to tactile pavings and accessible navigation.

Upon seeing the refreshing products showcased in the high-tech accessibility exhibition area, such as the smart hat for visually impaired people, the virtual sign language broadcaster system, and the accessible AR glasses by LLVISION, journalists eagerly requested further details and began their interviews and shootings. 

In addition to providing accessible facilities and equipment, the center also offers professional rehabilitation training and various employment skills training to help people with disabilities integrate into society. 

During the rehabilitation training session, the journalists were not only introduced to programs such as independent living skills training and therapy for children with disabilities through art, but also greeted by autistic children who were attending classes. These real-life examples of helping people with disabilities live independently and reintegrate into society deeply moved the journalists.

Located in Fengtai District, the Beijing Demonstration Center of Service for Persons with Disabilities is multi-functional facility that demonstrates specialized services for disabled people, incubates and promotes projects that provide services for persons with disabilities, and offers practical training and guidance for disabled people seeking jobs. 

As the largest provincial-level integrated service facility for persons with disabilities in China, the center serves as a model for creating a high-standard accessible environment and is an important showcase for services provided to disabled people in the capital.

It should be noted that the China International Press Communication Center (CIPCC), under the China Public Diplomacy Association (CPDA), that arranged this program for the foreign journalists, has initiated a program to build a platform for the media from countries around the world, especially developing countries, to observe China and study development in this country.

The program aimed at media exchange was halted in 2020 and 2021 due to the Covid-19 epidemic.

In each edition of the program, journalists from all around the world gather together to get familiar with the modern China and exchange their experiences in the field of journalism.

In 2024 edition of the program, scheduled to be held from late February until late June, over 100 journalists from more than 90 countries are participating.

Photo By Mahnaz Abdi