US-based oil major Chevron recently sponsored a special fashion event in Kazakhstan aimed at promoting inclusivity.
The unique event was particularly special because the models all had disabilities. Some were wearing hearing aids, for example, or using wheelchairs to traverse the runway, demonstrating how inclusivity can send a powerful message.
ITeachMe co-organised the event in cooperation with Chevron, which makes the Texaco lubricant range. This non-profit organisation based in Kazakhstan teaches professional skills to disabled people to empower them. The intention was to encourage inclusivity in the fashion industry.
The founder of ITeachMe, Zakhira Begaliyeva, said:
“We want people to understand that regardless of physical attributes, anyone can be successful and achieve their goals… This festival is crucial. It increases understanding and acceptance of inclusion in society. Events where inclusivity and ecology intersect can foster a more conscious and responsible attitude and understanding toward the environment and each other.”
The event also saw workshops on arranging and caring for flowers and recycling waste.
Chevron was the headline sponsor of the InEcoFest festival, which featured the fashion show. In addition to promoting inclusivity, the festival sought to encourage the preservation of the environment. Thus, people with disabilities were brought together with ecologically minded volunteers and persons from other communities. This helped facilitate a more responsible attitude to each other and the environment.
The largest city in Kazakhstan, Almaty, hosted the InEcoFest at the Main Botanical Garden, which seeks to advocate scientific knowledge while protecting and preserving plant life.
