At the 2026 Nice Carnival, inclusion is not just a symbolic commitment. It is lived concretely. Four students lent their voices to visually impaired or blind spectators, at the heart of a system that allowed nearly a hundred beneficiaries to participate fully in the festivities over two days.

After the security system, the inclusivity system! At the heart of the Carnival, in Masséna square, a dedicated space welcomes people with disabilities. Equipped with audio headsets, beneficiaries receive live audio description from a booth overlooking the illuminated parade.

Tonight, for the illuminated parade, nearly fifty beneficiaries, visually impaired and blind people and their companions, are enjoying the system. Tomorrow, for the flower battle, there will be about fifty again. In total, approximately 100 participants over two days will benefit from this inclusive initiative for this 2026 Long Live the Queen edition.

At the coordination level, Stéphanie, CSR officer, oversees the smooth running. Personally sensitive to disability issues, she insists: “everyone must be able to experience the Carnival, regardless of their disability.”

Four students, four voices

To bring the event to life, four students from ISCOM provide live audio description.

Hugo, 19 years old
“Inclusion is something that really matters to me. I’m very proud to be part of this.”

Ambre, 18 years old
“At many festivals, there should be more inclusivity.”
She describes the floats, costumes, and crowd energy.

Charlotte, 18 years old
“We’re going to be the eyes of those who cannot see.”
Microphone in hand, she conveys gestures, expressions, and atmosphere.

Ishaq, 26 years old, 5th year student and coordinator
“Describing the floats is one thing. But you also have to tell the arm raises, the cheers, the atmosphere. Information transmission is the heart of our profession.”

Four beneficiaries, four perspectives

Among the fifty beneficiaries present tonight, four testimonies illustrate the scope of the system.

Jeremy, 38 years old, blind
“When you can’t see, you hear the applause without always understanding why. Here, we get explanations. We applaud too.”
Despite the sound overlap, he concludes: “I give them blind trust.”

Laurie-Anne, 30 years old, visually impaired
“You can enjoy the atmosphere while listening to descriptions of the decorations and costumes. It’s quality.”

Bertrand, 65 years old, visually impaired
“They lend us their eyes. Lots of details that even sighted people didn’t notice. They made us experience them.”
He smiles: “Often the student surpasses the master. And tonight, they far surpassed us.”

Lorenzo, 12 years old, visually impaired, who came with his mother Florence.
Dressed as a One Piece character, he enthuses: “Yes, I like it!”
The headset is sometimes a bit heavy, the music a bit loud, but the essential is there: he understands, he laughs, he applauds at the right moment. His mother watches him participate fully in the celebration.

Much more than a system

It’s not just a matter of headsets, microphones, or logistics. Tonight, in Masséna square, something deeper took place. Four students lent their voices. Nearly fifty beneficiaries entrusted them their ears—and their trust. Tomorrow, there will be about fifty more experiencing the flower battle differently.

Between descriptions of floats, recounted arm raises, detailed costumes, explained applause, an invisible bond was woven. The students don’t just describe: they transmit emotion. The beneficiaries don’t just listen: they participate, react, applaud at the right moment, laugh with the crowd.

Inclusion then takes on a concrete dimension. It is no longer a matter of institutional commitment, but of direct human relationship. Where in the din of brass bands and under the lights of the illuminated parade, the 2026 Nice Carnival proves that a popular event can be both spectacular and solidarity-driven. A third edition, well on its way to a fourth?

Whether visually impaired or blind, everyone was able to see the Carnival differently. And tonight, and tomorrow the true Queen is inclusion!