Carmo Diniz, responsible for the Dialogue and Proximity Office of the Local Organizing Committee (LOC) for the World Youth Day (WYD) Lisbon 2023, and Leonor Belo, volunteer in the same department and carrier of Trisomy 21, participated today, June 22nd, in the broadcast "RFM Sem Olhar a Quem: 28 hours on behalf of accessibility to culture".

The initiative took place today, in the Campo Pequeno garden, with the purpose of raising awareness to the reality of many people with some disability or impairment and who face many obstacles when it comes to attending cultural events, concerts and festivals. Access corridors, adapted bathrooms, Portuguese Sign Language interpreters, automatic subtitles in shows and audiodescription are some of the conditions that are necessary to take into account and that continue to fail in access to culture and entertainment.

Speaking to RFM, Carmo Diniz revealed that "from the beginning" WYD Lisbon 2023 "has made an effort" to include everyone in this youth gathering. "We know that the Pope wants to meet with everyone," said, referring to the fact that the Holy Father has the desire to meet the pilgrims, without exceptions.

"It would be very good to leave this legacy of concern for accessibility," said the head of the LOC's Office of Dialogue and Proximity, who also revealed that people with disabilities can be accompanied, if they need it, in the spaces reserved for this purpose in WYD Lisbon 2023.

WYD Lisbon 2023 is sensitive to this issue and, in this regard, the LOC has appealed to all Diocesan Organizing Committees (COD) to map the locations and Churches that are already accessible for people with reduced mobility. As could not be otherwise, the applications for volunteers also included people with disabilities.