Watch again: Fully accessible inclusivity concert 'Elukoor'
Tuesday, December 3 was International Day of Persons with Disabilities. To mark the occasion, a special fully accessible concert took place at Tallinn's Kaja Cultural Center and featured performances from Mari Kalkun and Haldi. The concert can be seen again on ERR's Jupiter service and via the link in this article.
The concert, which this year was held for the third time, is the only fully accessible cultural event in Estonia.
To enhance accessibility, the concert offered Braille programs, sign language interpretation, written translations, audio descriptions, and simple language translations. The venue was accessible to wheelchair users and those with other mobility aids. Allergy-free flower arrangements were also part of the decor. Additionally, an overview of the materials used in the room will be provided.
This year's concert features performances by well-known Estonian musicians Mari Kalkun and Haldi with their accompanying band and the chamber choir "Encore." There will also be speeches during the concert from Lauri Räpi and Anne-Mai Tevah as well as Priit Kasepalu and Maarja Kaplinski.
Mari Kalkun, who learned one of her own songs in Estonian sign language especially for the concert, believes not enough attention is given in society to accessibility issues. "Society is only as healthy and strong as its different parts," Kalkun said.
"If someone feels marginalized, that is not a sign of strength, but of weakness. Every person is a unique being, but it is certainly more difficult for people with disabilities to access cultural events, for example, which are an essential part of being human. I believe that it is through music that we can connect and build empathy."
The concert is organized by a different venue and choir each year in order introduce key issues related to accessibility to as many different cultural operators as possible. This year's concert, entitled "Elukoor" ("Life Choir") was held at the Kaja Cultural Center and features the Encore Chamber Choir.
ERR News' Michael Cole attended the 2023 edition of the concert "Mina olen olemas" and wrote a feature article based on interviews with the participants. The article can be found here.
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Editor: Rasmus Kuningas, Michael Cole