Protecting the rights of people with disabilities and promoting their inclusion are core missions of the United Nations. Many affiliate committees and groups have championed the Accessible Cities Initiative, which was created to help people with disabilities integrate into society. Here in Beijing, a group of high school and college students joined forces to host a charity concert that allowed the audience members – disabled or otherwise – to enjoy the show equally.

Two years ago, Ling Yangyuntian and her classmate, Wang Yihan, set up the "Embracing Concert" event to offer people with disabilities access to live music.

Ling told CGTN reporter that "we used techniques to let people feel the vibrations (of sound). And then we realized that perhaps one event was not enough. We needed to build an environment for people, to showcase the music and share the joy. So we started this music festival to try and make it inclusive for all."

They introduced audio charity advertisements and tactile posters to inform people with visual impairments about the concert. They also provided vibrating vests for audience members with hearing loss so they could feel the sound frequencies, as well as sign language interpreters to help them understand the lyrics. Finally, they invited an inclusive band to perform on stage.

Tianxiangyouyin, which means "music from the sky," is an inclusive band that performs at the concert. Because some of its members are visually impaired, the band devised unique ways of learning instruments, performing on stage, and understanding music.

Wang Zhigang, who lost his sight six years ago, is the vocalist and guitarist of Tianxiangyouyin.

"The biggest difficulty I've faced since losing my sight is learning lyrics as I can't read them. But thanks to screen-reading software, I can listen to the lyrics over and over again until I can recite them. When I need to go out, I depend entirely on my guide dog, my Friend. She is now my eyes," said Wang.

Their performance received loud applause from the audience. Wang said he cherishes every opportunity to do something valuable for society on stage.

"I hope to raise the social awareness of our existence. We are part of society and deserve to be recognized. I also want to express my gratitude to society through our performances," Wang added.

Ian Marshall, Ambassador of Grenada to China, has made significant contributions to accessible music education and also came to enjoy the concert.

"I think it's critical to have concerts like this to encourage and lift the confidence of those that are challenged. We will support initiatives like this. So my impression of doing a concert like this is very good," said the Ambassador during the concert.

Everyone involved in the concert – from the organizers and bands to the nonprofit institutions – hopes to continue and expand their collaborative efforts to make the "Embracing Concert" accessible to all of society, regardless of their disability, so that everyone can enjoy music equally.