AGREB, 28 June 2021 - The 19th Equal Opportunities Festival began on Monday in Zagreb's main downtown square and it will continue for the next three days (until 30 June), presenting what people with disabilities can contribute to their city.

The Equal Opportunities Festival features music and theatre performances as well as art exhibitions and educational-recreational and sports activities involving people with disabilities who will present their creative possibilities to show that they should enjoy the same rights and obligations as other citizens, the organisers said.

This year about 800 performers from Croatia and abroad, 500 of whom are people with disabilities, will participate in the street festival. They will be assisted by about 20 professionals and 150 student volunteers from about 15 Zagreb faculties, the festival's creator, Milan Ožegović, said while opening the festival in Ban Jelačić Square.

Ožegović said that the festival emerged as a result of efforts to enable people with disabilities to socialise and show their creativity to other citizens. Each year about 15,000 people visit the festival and that way prejudices are removed and awareness is raised of the abilities of people with disabilities. "We have managed to establish a public scene despite not receiving any systematic financial assistance," he added.

As a sign of support, Ombudsman for Persons with Disabilities Anka Slonjšak attended the opening of the 19th Equal Opportunities Festival.

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