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Extrability Festival in Mersin: A Sailing Regatta That Will Change Your Perception of Human Potential

On October 25th, the heart of Mersin will host the main event of the International Extrability Festival – a large-scale celebration uniting people with and without disabilities. The Extrability Festival has been held in Mersin Province since 2015, but this year, for the first time, the provincial capital will host the inclusive regatta, unique workshops, and concert program.

The festival will commence at 13:00 with an official opening ceremony and the initiation of participants as volunteers of the "Sails of the Spirit" project. Welcoming speeches will be delivered by Dursun Arslan, Vice-President of the Turkish Federation of the Visually Impaired and Chairman of the Tarsus Disability Platform, and Oleg Kolpashchikov, Head of the "Sails of the Spirit" project, Co-founder of the Extrability Movement, and President of the "White Cane" ANO.

At 14:00, a sailing regatta featuring mixed crews, comprising both people with and without disabilities, will start in the waters of Mersin. Particular attention is drawn to the vessel "My Story" from the Mersin Marina yacht club, known for training Paralympians. The yacht arrived from Antalya, where an inclusive regatta and Extrability Day were held on October 21st. Among the regatta participants is Sansarkan Bercem, a student from Tarsus University, who recently completed an inclusive sailing passage from Marmaris to Mersin.
"They let me stand at the boat's helm, and it was the most incredible feeling! I understood that the course of the entire team depended on me, and I was steering the boat in the vast sea. These emotions are indescribable," shared Sansarkan with us.
From 14:00 to 16:00, festival guests can immerse themselves in unique Extrability practices: at the plasticineography workshop, participants wearing masks will create figures relying solely on tactile sensations; "Journey Between Worlds" will offer a new perceptual experience with blind guides; and professional yachtsmen will share the art of tying sea knots, demonstrating how maritime romance becomes accessible to everyone.

From 15:00 to 17:00, Turkish and Russian creative groups will perform on stage, including the dance collective "Temporhythms," the rock band "Pole Chudes," pianist Cem Görkem Gündoğdu, Yasemin Samürek and her Zumba dance group, vocalist Hasan Önal, and Anatolian rock musician Hasan Esmer.

At 17:00, the awards ceremony for the regatta winners will take place, recognizing not only sporting achievements but also successes in building inclusive dialogue.

On October 26th, the festival continues with tourist activities. From 10:00 to 18:00, guests can visit historical and cultural sites in Tarsus as part of an inclusive team.

October 27th is scheduled as a day of synchronization: morning workshops on yachts and visits to social institutions in Mersin, where project volunteers will conduct inclusive sessions.

The festival concludes on October 28th at Tarsus University, where students and guests can interact with project participants and exchange experiences.

We invite media representatives to cover the festival on October 25th from 13:00 to 18:00. Venue: Amphitheater, Adnan Menderes Boulevard. Join us at the Extrability Festival in Mersin – an event where everyone will find inspiration and become convinced that human potential is limitless!

Media Accreditation Contacts:

Maxim Kalinov - Turkish, English, Russian languages,
+7 918 752-54-42 (WhatsApp)

Oleg Kolpashchikov — President of "White Cane" ANO, Head of the "Sails of the Spirit" project,
+7 906 810-22-88 (WhatsApp), ok.urals@gmail.com

Oksana Makoviyenko — Coordinator of the "Sails of the Spirit" project in Turkey,
+7 921 852-13-84 (WhatsApp), blagochinie39@yandex.ru

Project Partners:

State Atomic Energy Corporation "Rosatom"
Federal Agency for the Commonwealth of Independent States, Compatriots Living Abroad, and International Humanitarian Cooperation "Rossotrudnichestvo"
GK "Medscan"
Sverdlovsk Regional Branch of the Russian Geographical Society
Extrability Movement
OOO "Institute of Management Design and Competitive Strategies"
Tarsus Disability Platform
Turkish Federation of the Visually Impaired
Mersin Municipality
Tarsus Municipality
Mersin City Council
Disabled Assembly of Mersin City Council
Disabled Assembly of Tarsus City Council
Disabled Assembly of Trabzon City Council
Private Patient Care Center "Mukaddes Aksoy"
Mersin Marina
Akyazı Yachting Water Sports Club
Eurasian Association "Life Without Barriers"
Russian Society in Antalya
"Doctor Volkova's Rehabilitation" Clinic
OOO "Eldorado-Tour"
Dance Collective "Temporhythms"
Rock Collective "Pole Chudes"
2025-10-24 14:11