In 1970 the International Association of the Blind proclaimed 15 October as International White Cane Day. This day was also celebrated by the police, who organised preventive activities to improve the safety of blind and visually impaired people.

The white cane is a tool that symbolises the personal independence of a blind and visually impaired person while at the same time signalling to others that the person holding it cannot see and therefore has some special needs and rights. Every year a number of activities that are organised mainly at the local level by municipal associations of the blind and visually impaired are held during White Cane Day. This year they were also joined by the police. Together with the Association of Slovenian Blind and Visually Impaired Persons Societies, we have prepared a preventive project entitled Together hand-in-hand for the safety of the blind and visually impaired, which is aimed at helping the blind and visually impaired in overcoming the various obstacles and problems they encounter in the field of safety.

Within this project, local police stations are providing blind and visually impaired persons with information on how to stay safe and other security issues. To this end, a leaflet with a variety of safety tips has been prepared. All those involved benefit, since police officers learn more about visually impaired persons, while the latter feel safer and integrate more easily into their environment.