Tactile objects, ramps, and an immersive anti-museum: members of the State Council assessed the accessibility of the infrastructure of the Old Tatar settlement for people with limited mobility.

      The accessibility of urban infrastructure for people with limited mobility and health issues is at the forefront of the republic's parliamentarians' attention. Today, State Council deputies Lilia Mavrina, Alexey Sozinov, Olga Voronova, and Danis Zaripov, along with State Duma deputy Ilya Wolfson, conducted a raid on the cultural landmarks of the Old Tatar Settlement, walked along Kayum Nasiri Street, and assessed how convenient this pedestrian street, favored by Kazan residents and guests of the capital, is for people with disabilities, determining whether the republican laws protecting the rights of people with disabilities are fully observed. The results of the inspection were discussed at a round table meeting held at the Prefecture building of the special territory "Old City" of the Executive Committee of Kazan. Additionally, the deputies visited the resource center "Support of Heroes" and met with veterans of the special operation.

      The first stop of the deputies' tour was the "Kunak" hotel. The parliamentarians inspected the accommodation for people with limited mobility. Infrastructure has been created here for individuals with health issues. The accommodation features a ramp and a specially equipped restroom. Everything is provided for the stay of tourists with disabilities. "I would also recommend equipping not only this but all the accommodations of the hotel with special 'panic' buttons that would signal the reception in case someone needs assistance," suggested Lilia Mavrina. The proposal was taken into consideration.

      The next site inspected by the deputies was the visual models of the Old Tatar Settlement, which were installed in 2024 near almost every landmark. There are a total of 24 of them. These tactile objects allow visually impaired tourists to familiarize themselves with the architectural ensemble of the area. Each model is equipped with Braille.

      The "Gaze into Darkness" museum, which the deputies also visited today, is undoubtedly one of the unique sites of the Old Tatar Settlement. This immersive anti-museum allows visitors to take a tour in complete darkness and learn to perceive space through hearing, touch, and other senses. The museum provides a significant social and cognitive experience that helps better understand the world of blind people. As noted by the museum's founder, visually impaired Pavel Panasyuk, the main aspect of the created museum space is its philosophical foundation. "We learn about the surrounding world 90% through our eyesight, seeing this world, and you cannot imagine how perception changes in darkness," he emphasized. "We do not just talk about this, but also let people experience what inclusion really is." Pavel Panasyuk also mentioned that in the near future, the museum staff and guides (most of whom are visually impaired) plan to organize work with the relatives of visually impaired individuals to help them better understand their loved ones.

      Today, the deputies also visited the support center for SVO fighters, the resource center "Support of Heroes," and met with veterans of the special operation.

      The resource center "Batyrlar Tärege" ("Support of Heroes") was established on April 30, 2025. The center addresses issues of socialization and psychological adaptation, rehabilitation of SVO participants, and helps them return to peaceful life. Additionally, the center's staff provides various support to the families of special operation participants, coordinating the collection and dispatch of humanitarian aid. The "Patriotic Union," which includes more than forty volunteer and public organizations, also operates at the Resource Center. The center is headed by Mansur Hazrat Dzhalyaletdin, the Deputy Mufti of Tatarstan for supporting SVO participants and their families. "The idea of creating the center arose during trips to the special operation zone," says Mansur Hazrat Dzhalyaletdin, "at that time, both our fighters and veterans returning from the SVO had many questions. Now we solve them together, including within the framework of the Resource Center's work. We actively interact with the Defender of the Fatherland Foundation. The guys who come to us start life with a 'clean slate,' we help some overcome dependencies, they get married, and we assist them in finding employment. If they do not come to us, we go to them, talk, and help them adapt to peaceful life."

      Much of the success of this work is related to the fact that veterans returning from the SVO help with adaptation. One of them, special operation participant Ruzel Giniyatullin, now heads the adaptive department of the Resource Center "Support of Heroes." In 2023, Ruzel Giniyatullin was injured, underwent years of long rehabilitation in Moscow, and then searched for himself. He also experienced a period related to alcohol abuse. He overcame this dependency and now helps others. "The problem is that after returning, physically we are here, but spiritually we remain at that war," says Ruzel Giniyatullin, thanking the hazrat for his help and support.

      A volleyball team of SVO veterans, "Alga," has been formed at the center, playing sitting volleyball, and today the team has already achieved success. The center's hockey team is just beginning its successes in sports. The parliamentarians presented the athletes—veterans of the special operation—with a certificate for purchasing uniforms, and Danis Zaripov gave them a personalized hockey stick as a symbol of strength of spirit and sports unity.

      The athletes requested assistance in finding a training venue, and the deputies took the matter into consideration. "Special thanks to our Heroes," emphasized State Duma deputy Ilya Wolfson while speaking with journalists. "It is essential to provide all possible support to the guys who returned from the SVO, who were injured, and to address rehabilitation issues. And now we have seen how they are returning to peaceful life, engaging in sports, and the guys are involved in this work and help those who have just returned and still cannot understand how to adapt."

      Summarizing the deputies' tour, the chairman of the Committee on Social Policy, Alexey Sozinov, reminded that during the April session of the State Council, a law on the accessibility of tourist facilities for people with disabilities was adopted. "Kazan is a city for people, and in our city, there are people who need special conditions to physically reach a facility and receive information about it," emphasized the head of the relevant committee. "And today, the deputies of the State Duma and the State Council walked with their feet and felt this path in the very center of our city, in the Old Tatar Settlement, where there are many tourists. It is important that every resident of our city and guests of the capital have the opportunity, regardless of their limitations (visual, auditory, mobility, mental), to access our great cultural wealth. Our task is not just to assess what we have seen but to develop support measures to make our familiar environment accessible to everyone."

      Alexey Sozinov also noted that he would propose to the deputies of the State Council to conduct similar walking tours in their districts to assess the accessibility of the environment in municipalities. "At one time, I was at the origins of creating the territory of the Old Tatar Settlement, and now it is pleasant to see the changes," shared State Council Secretary Lilia Mavrina. "Much has already been implemented and brought to life, even better than we dreamed, for which we are very grateful to the staff of the Prefecture. The impressions are positive, but there is certainly much work to be done." Among the most important issues, Lilia Mavrina highlighted public awareness and interagency cooperation.