Canon Central and North Africa unveils inclusive tech

I still recall the confusion I felt when my sight-impaired friend asked me to share photos from our university days on a flash disk, saying her computer program would read them to her.

It wasn't until the Canon 'World Unseen' exhibition at GITEX Africa in Marrakech, Morocco in May, that my understanding was enlightened. Several start-ups, scale-ups, and tech titans gathered to showcase innovations and discuss how Africa can take their place in the tech world.

This unique exhibition aimed to make photography inclusive for millions of people with visual impairments worldwide.

Inclusivity

The ‘World Unseen’ exhibition was a unique photography exhibition, designed to enable people with sight loss to better engage with the visual world but also challenges sighted individuals to see imagery through different lenses.

Ms Aawatif Hayar, Morocco's Minister of Solidarity, Social Inclusion, and Family, inaugurated the exhibition, highlighting Canon's efforts to foster inclusivity and challenge societal perceptions.

“By providing visually impaired and partially sighted individuals with an opportunity to engage with photography through elevated prints, audio descriptions, soundscapes, and braille, Canon is not only making art accessible but also challenging societal perceptions,” she said.

The exhibition featured elevated prints, audio descriptions, soundscapes, and braille, allowing visually impaired individuals to engage with photography in new ways.

Renowned photographers like Muhammed Muheisen, Yagazie Emezi, and Brent Stirton showcased their work, making art accessible to all.

The ‘World Unseen’ campaign

Rashad Ghani, Canon Central & North Africa's B2C Business Unit Director, emphasized the campaign's goal of making photography an immersive and inclusive art form for everyone.

“By offering a sensory-rich experience, we aim to change how both sighted and visually impaired individuals engage with photography, making it an immersive and inclusive art form,” he said.

Ghani said Canon has an even wider incredible range of innovative solutions that cater to various industries and applications. Canon's innovative solutions, including the EOS R System cameras and advanced printing solutions, aim to inspire creativity and drive technology advancement across Africa.

“Our goal is to inspire creativity, foster meaningful connections and drive technology advancement across the continent,” he said.

The 'World Unseen' exhibition was a testament to the power of art and technology in promoting social inclusion and personal development.