Published on: 2026-10-15
Source: Government of the Russian Federation –
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Deputy Prime Minister of Russia Dmitry Chernyshenko greeted the participants of the gala concert of the 17th International Charity Festival “White Cane.”
The event took place in the “Moscow” concert hall. The festival is traditionally timed to coincide with the International White Cane Day and is aimed at supporting young blind and visually impaired performers and developing inclusive culture.
The Deputy Prime Minister read out the greeting from President Vladimir Putin:
“Dear friends! I welcome you to the gala concert of the XVII International Charity Festival “White Cane,” which takes place in the Year of the Unity of the Peoples of Russia. Your remarkable festival consistently impresses with an atmosphere of sincere warmth and hospitality, a rich program, and the high performance skills of the young participants. I especially want to highlight the extensive and much-needed work carried out by the event organizers – the charity foundation “By the Call of the Heart” and the Diana Gurtskaya Center for Social Integration. Thanks to the dedication and enthusiasm of many compassionate and sensitive people, the “White Cane” festival serves as a space for creative and friendly communication among the children, helps them fully realize their talents and abilities, and feel the reliable support of their older comrades. I am convinced that this year’s celebration will help the boys and girls who came to Moscow from various regions of Russia and foreign countries feel like part of a united team of like-minded people, leaving the brightest and most unforgettable memories. From the bottom of my heart, I wish you good spirits, inspiration, and success.”
Dmitry Chernyshenko wished the participants of the event health and success, and also thanked the People’s Artist of Russia, the inspirational force behind the “White Cane” festival, Diana Gurtskaya, “for the work and hope she has given to those who need it most.”
“The festival grows year after year, and today it is a large-scale cultural event that brings together young people from different cities and countries. Our main idea remains unchanged: it is very important to us that every child, when stepping onto the stage, believes in their own strength, and that inclusion spreads and becomes a part of our lives,” emphasized Diana Gurtskaya.
The “White Cane” festival is a unique project in Russia and internationally, bringing together talented children with visual impairments and stars of the Russian pop scene. Over 17 years, this project has gathered more than 12,000 young performers under the banner of creativity. This year, 54 festival finalists from 11 countries performed alongside leading artists of the Russian and world stages. For many participants, the festival becomes a springboard for professional development. Its finalists have repeatedly received awards at prestigious competitions and have performed in popular television projects.
At the gala concert, performers from the Azerbaijan and Kyrgyz Republics, the Republic of Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, the Russian Federation (including historical territories), Uzbekistan, and Georgia performed. This year, for the first time, a finalist of the festival was a participant from the Republika Srpska (Bosnia and Herzegovina). To support the young performer, honorary guests of the gala concert arrived: the Minister of Energy and Mining of Republika Srpska Petar Đokić and the Ambassador of Bosnia and Herzegovina Ivan Orlić.
At the finale of the gala concert, applications opened for the first All-Russian contest-award “Unlimited Opportunities” among Muscovites. Participants can be individual heroes whose achievements inspire in various areas of public life, as well as teams developing technologies to improve the quality of life for people with disabilities.
The organizer of the festival is the Diana Gurtskaya Charity Foundation for Helping Blind and Visually Impaired Children “By the Call of the Heart.” The qualifying rounds in Moscow were held by the Diana Gurtskaya Center for Social Integration. The festival is held with the support of the Presidential Grants Fund, the Ministry of Culture, the Ministry of Education, the Interstate Humanitarian Cooperation Fund of the CIS member states, and grants from the Mayor of Moscow.
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