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Experience Saarbrücken blindly: an auditory passage for more awareness!
Experience the fascinating audio track “St. Johanner Markt” in Saarbrücken – a podcast that addresses and raises awareness of visual impairments.
Experience Saarbrücken blindly: an auditory passage for more awareness!
This year in Saarbrücken, special attention will be paid to the needs of people with visual impairments. On July 1, 2025, the city and the initiative “SET SIGN – BLIND FROM HERE ON” launched the Hörgang podcast. This new audio tour invites you to experience the city from a different perspective, combining education with awareness. This is reported by the city of Saarbrücken, which launched the project as part of the Old Town Festival in order to raise public awareness of the needs of visually impaired people.
The initiative takes place in the context of an alarming fact: 1.1 billion people worldwide are affected by visual impairments. Many of these limitations are learned and develop over the course of life. It is therefore all the more important to create a new awareness of how to deal with visually impaired people. The listening session, which is acoustically accompanied by Sylvia Kammer-Emden and Thomas Brass, is an important first step.
An innovative experience
The listening tour includes twelve stations around the St. Johanner Markt, including interesting places such as the fountain and Fröschengasse. Visitors can touch public art with their hands, such as “The Tears of the Whore” by Paul Schneider. To take part, all you need is a smartphone with internet access and headphones. The audio file can be downloaded below www.saarbruecken.de/hoergang ready.
A particularly enriching aspect of the tour is the opportunity for sighted people to take part in the tour together with a person with visual impairment. Anyone interested can contact Heinz-Peter Engels from the Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired for Saarland e.V. Participation in the tour takes around 45 minutes and starts from the city gallery. If you would like to find out more about the experience, you can pick up a brochure with a QR code at the Kulturinfo.
A variety of activities at the Old Town Festival
The Old Town Festival, which will take place on July 12, 2025, offers numerous activities related to the power tree. Students from the Louis Braille School created phrases in Braille on acrylic discs that visitors can discover in the festival area. There will also be the option of assigning postcards in Braille and black letters. This is not only informative, but also part of the celebration of the 200th anniversary of Braille.
In addition, visitors can borrow simulation glasses to simulate vision with different eye diseases. These glasses are available at the Stadtgalerie starting point. In addition to tactile bags, bell balls, tactile books and games, there will also be a “From here on BLIND – concert experience” on the main stage, which will be moderated by Emma Regber. Before the event, a stage description for people with visual impairments will be offered.
An important contribution to inclusion
Inclusion is very important at the Old Town Festival. Bulang, a pilot service provided by Lebenshilfe Saarbrücken, is available to assist visitors to ensure a safe and pleasant experience. There are special areas in front of the main stages for people with invisible disabilities and wheelchair users. All information is also available in plain language to further improve accessibility.
It's a great opportunity for everyone to look beyond the challenges faced by people with visual impairments and become actively involved in this important initiative. For more details about the planned actions and opportunities, click altstadtfest.saarbruecken.de.