Penza, 3 December 2015. PenzaNews. The art hall of “Kvartal Louie” is hosting a project for school students “Equal! Different! Friendly!” starting on Thursday, December 3. The project aims to help children develop tolerant attitude towards people with disabilities, without any fear or condescendence.

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The first meeting brought together the students of the Penza gymnasium No. 1 and young men and women with eyesight, hearing or mobility disabilities, some of them employees of the art hall.

The event began with a welcoming speech from Maria Lvova-Belova, chairman of the Penza charity organization “Blagovest” and director of “Kvartal Louie.” She reminded the school students that the event was arranged to coincide with International Day of Persons with Disabilities celebrated on December 3.

“Today, we don’t want a lesson, we don’t want any kind of lecture – today, we just want to be together, all as one,” she said.

Maria Lvova-Belova also explained the most important things for people with disabilities.

“What’s important is not gifts or pity, but helping them feel necessary, important for the society, to be in demand, to not be surrounded by fear, but by friends, people ready to talk. That’s why today our project will help you learn how to be with such people, how to interact with them,” stressed the director of “Kvartal Louie.”

Following that, she invited all guests of the event to get acquainted with each other – introduce oneself and tell of one’s experience of being with people with disabilities.

After the introduction, school children and people with disabilities played games, and then bar bartenders on wheelchairs prepared hot drinks for the guests.

The art hall aims to make such meetings regular.