VivaCell-MTS launches Braille panels for sight-impaired and blind tourists

VivaCell-MTS, a subsidiary of “Mobile TeleSystems” OJSC, has launched Braille panels for Armenian monuments.
The presentation of the new multi-language multi-language panels took place in the Culture Club for the Blind of the Arabkir Community of Yerevan, the company says in a release.

The project enables sight-impaired and blind visitors of Armenian historical and religious monuments to learn about the monuments in their language of choice: Armenian, English, Russian, Italian or French. Panels introduce readers to the site and paired with AMAP’s planned Audio Tour program, enable sight-impaired and blind visitors to make self-guided tours of the site.

The event included a “sneak-preview” of 21 Multilanguage All-Braille panels, which will be installed at sites throughout Armenia, and performances by the Armenian Blind Choir. The panels include 9 multi-language All-Braille panels for Yerevan, which will be installed along with 18 main panels that are prepared for a Yerevan Walking Tour.

“Learning and interacting with the outer world are the two major wishes of the blind and vision-impaired people, noted VivaCell-MTS General Manager Ralph Yirikian. It is vital that the society understands the importance of accessibility of information for the blind people, something that already exists in the civilized world. Our compatriots have equal rights like us, and should be given equal access and opportunity for recreation and study like us. As a responsible Company we are doing our best to support projects thanks to which the blind and visually-impaired people will feel themselves closer to the society and enjoy the pleasure in learning”.

The General Sponsor of AMAP is Armenia’s Leading Mobile Operator VivaCell-MTS. Sponsors are the Honorary Consul for Italy in Gyumri, the US Ambassadors Cultural Fund, USAID/CAPS, Norwegian Ministry for Foreign Affairs.