On June 24, 2025, the final conference of the European CARE project was held at the Auditourium of IERFOP, Cagliari. The conference, titled ” Tomorrow’s Europe: Mediterranean of the Future, Frontiers of Health, Regenerative Tourism, and Art Therapies for a New Global Well-being.” took the form of a roundtable discussion and celebrated the achievements of the CARE project, an initiative that has opened new horizons for visually impaired youth across Europe.
Coordinated by I.E.R.P.O.F. and carried out in partnership with other European partners, the CARE project has been running for three years, engaging blind and visually impaired young people from Italy, Poland, Cyprus, Ireland, and Greece in a journey of artistic exploration and social inclusion through ceramic arts.
Throughout the project, participants attended tactile ceramics workshops led by Giovanni Pulli ceramist expert, where they worked with clay as a tool for expression and creativity. The project aimed to enhance manual, relational, and communicative skills by allowing participants to interact with materials through touch, transforming their hands into instruments of perception. Their creations are permanently displayed in the Auditorium of IERFOP, as the exhibition of the artworks is a central part of the CARE project.”
The multiplier event celebrated the results of this inclusive and interdisciplinary initiative, successfully combining art, accessibility, and personal development. The roundtable discussion was attended by key figures in the fields of education, representatives of the authorities, disability advocacy, and cultural heritage, including:
Dr. Roberto Pili, President of IERFOP
Dr. Bachisio Zolo, Director of Educational and Training Activities, IERFOP
Dr. Rossana Podda, Assessor for Tourism
Alessandro Melillo, Director of Development and Research Area.
Dr. Bachisio Zolo, Director of Educational and Training Activities, IERFOP
Dr. Giuseppe Corrias, Telemedicine Services
Dr. Claudia Serra, Project Coordinator for CARE
Giovanni Pulli, Expert Ceramist for the CARE Project
All the young participants from the local workshops
The conference highlighted the project’s key stages, emphasizing the benefits for participants in terms of improved tactile perception, motor skills, and social interaction. The CARE project demonstrated a successful model for inclusive education and artistic empowerment, offering a replicable format for promoting equal opportunities and creative expression among young people with visual impairments in Europe.
