Recently in Event Category

European Commission calls for entries from across the EU

Brussels, 21/05/2013 - The European Commission has opened today the competition for the fourth "Access City Award", the European Award for Accessible Cities. The annual prize recognises and celebrates cities that are dedicated to providing an accessible environment for all, and for disabled and older people in particular. The Award is part of the EU's wider efforts to create a barrier-free Europe: improved accessibility brings lasting economic and social benefits to cities, especially in the context of demographic ageing. Cities with at least 50,000 inhabitants have until 10 September (midnight Brussels time) to submit their candidacy for the award.

"Let's keep working together to facilitate lives of EU citizens", said Vice-President of the European Commission Viviane Reding, Commissioner for Justice, Fundamental Rights and Citizenship. "I encourage cities all over Europet o participate and share their ideas on how to make life more accessible for all. If you have made special efforts to improve accessibility, your city can be a good example and inspiration for others".

Approximately 80 million Europeans have a disability. With the ageing of our society, the number of people with a disability or those with reduced mobility is growing. Giving everyone access to city transport, public spaces and services, and technology has become a real challenge. However, providing accessibility also gives economic and social benefits and contributes to the sustainability and inclusiveness of the urban environment.

In line with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities, accessibility is one of the pillars of the European Union's Disability Strategy 2010-2020 which aims at creating a barrier-freeEuropefor all.

The selection process

The selection will take place in two phases, with a pre-selection at the national level followed by a final selection at the European level. In the European competition phase, a jury composed of accessibility experts including representatives of the European Disability Forum will select out of the national nominees maximum four finalists to attend the award ceremony in Brussels. The ceremony will coincide with the European Day of People with Disabilities Conference on 3-4 December 2013. The winner of the competition will be recognised as the "Winner of the Access City Award2014". Another two cities will be awarded as ''finalists'' for their innovative measures on accessibility.

The European Jury will also give special "mentions" to cities that have achieved notable successes and results in specific areas or aspects of accessibility.

Award criteria

Accessibility needs to be implemented in a coherent and systematic manner in goods, services and infrastructure. Initiatives will be assessed for their integrated approach across four key areas: the built environment and public spaces; transportation and related infrastructure; information and communication, including new technologies (ICT); public facilities and services.

The jury will particularly look at the impact of accessibility measures on the everyday life of people with disabilities and the city as a whole, and it will consider the quality and sustainability of the results achieved. Cities will also have to demonstrate active involvement of persons with disabilities and their representative organisations in the planning and implementation of the city's accessibility policies.

How to apply

Applications can be submitted on-line until 10 September 2013 (midnight Brussels time) in English, French or German viahttp://ec.europa.eu/justice/access-city.

Background

The Access-City Award's first, second and third editions

After a first successful inaugural year2010 inwhich the Spanish city of Avila received the Access City Award 2011, the campaign in 2011 saw 114 cities from 23 EU member states joining the competition. On 1 December 2011 the Austrian citySalzburgwas proclaimed as the winner of the Access City Award 2012.

The application phase for the Access City Award 2013 closed on 5 September 2012 with 99 cities from 20 EU member states in the competition. The Award was given to theGermanCityofBerlinat a ceremony organised inBrusselson 3 December 2012, on the occasion of the European Day of Persons with Disabilities.

The two other finalists were:Nantes(France) andStockholm(Sweden). . In 2012 the jury also assigned special mentions to:Pamplona(Spain) for the built environment and public spaces,Gdynia(Poland) for transport and related infrastructures,Bilbao(Spain) for information and communication, including new technologies and Tallaght (Ireland) for public facilities and services.

TodayGdyniahosts a conference called ''accessible cities - best practices'' where the winner, the finalists and other EU cities will share their practices and discuss their projects and future plans on accessibility.Gdynia, awarded with the special mention for transport and related infrastructure, is well known for promoting awareness and understanding of disability.

EU policy on accessibility

The EU Disability Strategy 2010-2020 provides the general framework for action in the area of disability and accessibility at EU level to complement and support Member States' action. In this context, the European Commission is preparing a proposal for a European Accessibility Act, to be presented in the second half of 2013.

Specific provisions on accessibility are contained in EU legislation in areas such as transport and electronic communication services. The EU makes use of a variety of instruments beyond legislation and policy, such as research and standardisation, to optimise the accessibility of the built environment, ICT, transport, and other areas, and to foster an EU-wide market for accessible products and services.

The EU also aims to improve the functioning of the assistive technology market for the benefit of people with disabilities and supports a "Design for all" approach that benefits a wider part of the population, such as elderly people and those with reduced mobility.

For more information

Would you like to have your city projects featured in the next booklet of the Access City Award? If you want to share your experiences and actions with other cities, read more about the Access City Award on:http://ec.europa.eu/justice/access-city

European Disability Strategy 2010-2020

http://ec.europa.eu/justice/discrimination/disabilities/disability-strategy/index_en.htm

United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

http://ec.europa.eu/justice/discrimination/disabilities/convention/index_en.htm

At REATECH 2013.

The project will create a network of alliances and a series of resources allowing travelers with disabilities to travel throughout Brazil once they are there for the 2016 Paralympics and Olympics and for the FIFA Soccer World Cup next year. The expo on April 18 will bring key stakeholders together. I need to I need to get down there to bring them to agreement on the project and secure their funding.  I can't give complete details on the major project until after the Brazilian government signs on but I can promise that I won't just be spending time on the beach after the negotiations this trip.

The 6th session of the Conference of States Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities will take place from 17-19 July 2013. A day prior to the Conference a Civil Society Forum will be held on 16 July.

The following deadlines apply:

NGO application for accreditation: 31 May 2013
NGO registration: 8 July 2013
Side-event application: 31 May 2013

More information is posted at:http://www.un.org/disabilities/default.asp?id=1606

Sincerely,

Secretariat for the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
Division for Social Policy and Development
Department of Economic and Social Affairs, United Nations
Mailing address: United Nations, S-2914, New York, NY 10017
Email: enable@un.org
Web: http://www.un.org/disabilities

 

 

Destinations for All

Tourism, culture and transportation

for people with restricted physical ability

A World Summit in Montréal in October 2014

 

Montréal, June 4^th, 2012 - The number of international tourist arrivals is expected to climb to one billion in 2012.[1] Persons with physical limitations account for roughly 15% of the population[2] and this number should continue to rise given the aging demographic. Like everyone else, people with disabilities travel for business and pleasure, to visit friends and relatives, and to discover other ways of life, just with slightly greater difficulty.

 

How do we accommodate tourists with disabilities? Are our infrastructures, buildings and establishments adapted to be easily accessible to all? Can we safely aspire to reach international accessibility standards and benchmarks? Do "accessible" rooms in Montréal and elsewhere around the globe live up to the world traveller's expectations? How can a disabled person be sure his or her chosen destination is truly accessible? Is our front-line staff properly trained to host these guests and provide appropriate services? Which best practices from the tourism, culture and transportation industries should be considered model practices? What measures should these industries take to substantially facilitate the participation of individuals with disabilities in cultural and tourist activities?

 

Those are just some of the questions that will be discussed at the DESTINATIONS FOR ALL World Summit that is set to take place in Montréal from October 19 to 22, 2014.

 

The Summit's sub-heading expresses the actual scope of the topic at hand:

Tourism, culture and transportation:

A common strategy at the international level

 

 

In fact, the major sector-based organizations from the tourism, culture and transportation industries will be invited to unveil at least two changes they undertake to make to significantly improve travel and tourism conditions for persons with disabilities. This World Summit should also prompt partners to join in an effort to make accessibility benchmarks and standards uniform across tourist establishments, attractions and transportation services.

 

The Summit will be organized by a steering committee comprising representatives of the organizations most active in promoting tourism accessibility globally, namely:

• The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) (unwto.org)
• The World Centre of Excellence for Destinations (CED) (ced.travel/en)
• The European Network for Accessible Tourism (ENAT) (accessibletourism.org)
• Tourisme et Handicaps - France (tourisme-handicaps.org)
• Fundación ONCE - Spain (fundaciononce.es/EN)
• Access Tourism New Zealand (accesstourismnz.org.nz)          

·        The Society for Accessible Travel and Hospitality (SATH) - USA (sath.org)

• Transport Canada's Transportation Development Centre (http://www.tc.gc.ca/fra/innovation/cdt-menu.htm)
• The Ministère du Tourisme du Québec (MTO) (bonjourquebec.com)
• Kéroul, Tourism and culture for people with restricted physical ability (keroul.qc.ca/en)

 (A detailed description of these organizations is included in the appendix.)

 

The International Center for Education and Research in Tourism (CIFORT) will hold, simultaneously, a scientific seminar regarding the Summit's thematic.

 

André Vallerand, Chairman of the CED and Special Advisor to the UNWTO Secretary General, will chair the Summit's Steering Committee. Here, he highlights the event's primary focus:

"At a time when the population of the Western world is aging and international tourism continues to grow, it is crucial for domestic and global partners to consolidate their expertise and join forces to make travel and tourism easier for disabled persons."

 

For Taleb Rifai, Secretary General of the UNWTO, this event will facilitate the fulfillment of the objectives of the UNWTO's Global Code of Ethics for Tourism:

"Promoting accessible tourism is at the heart of UNWTO's mandate and we are delighted to be an active part of the DESTINATIONS FOR ALL World Summit in Montréal. Through the Global Code of Ethics for Tourism, UNWTO is committed to upholding the rights of the most vulnerable communities, particularly the elderly and the disabled. I firmly believe the Summit will be an opportunity to come up with solutions to considerably improve travel, accommodation and accessibility conditions across tourist attractions and services for persons with disabilities."

Minister of Tourism Nicole Ménard believes that the World Summit reflects the importance of launching initiatives to promote accessible tourism:

"The World Summit is assembling leading organizations to foster cooperation among stakeholders through the accessibility of destinations. I would like to pay tribute to the efforts made by Kéroul, an official partner of the Ministère du Tourisme for the past 25 years, which is working intensely to make Québec a destination accessible to everyone."

 

Without question, the DESTINATIONS FOR ALL World Summit in Montréal is an event ALL are invited to attend!

 

For event details, please check the site www.keroul.qc.ca/en regularly and sign up to our newsletter.

IV International Congress of Tourism For All. ONCE Foundation, Ávila, Spain

Photo: Medieval troubadour. Municipality of Ávila

The ONCE Foundation for cooperation and inclusion of people with disabilities, invites you to participate in the IV International Congress of Tourism for All, which will be held in Ávila, Spain, on 26, 27 and 28 June 2013.

The World Tourism Organization (WTO), the European Network for Accessible Tourism (ENAT), the European Institute of Design for All (EIDD) and the Ministry of Industry, Tourism and Trade are collaborating in this event.

The Congress is aimed at administrations, companies and users of products and services linked to tourism, as well as at all those people and institutions interested in knowing the current and future state of Tourism for All.

This IV International Congress on Tourism for All will have as its central focus the Cultural and Historical Heritage. It is intended for all professionals of culture, with the aim of enhancing their participation in the tourism sector and the objective of establishing the Accessibility and Design for All, thus promoting the inclusion of people with special needs.  

Objectives

• To make the tourism sector aware on the need to establish strong guidelines for Design for All and Universal Accessibility.
• To know and disseminate examples of good practices of Tourism for All. 
• To show the profitability of the proposals of Accessible Tourism to the sector.
• To unify criteria of accessibility in Tourism for All.
• To enhance the role of culture as a source of tourist resources.
• To consider the elaboration of realistic and rigorous technical projects that facilitate the conversion of cultural potential into tourism products tailored to everyone´s needs.
• To show the employment opportunities for people with disabilities within the growing development of cultural tourism.
• To raise awareness of the need to achieve full accessibility of culture for the progress and development of our society, where a greater visibility and an active participation of people with disabilities will be a reality.
• To achieve a greater participation of cultural actors in the tourism industry for all.
• 
  
• Full story:

The next webinar in the Board's free monthly series will take place March 7 from 2:30 - 4:00 (ET) and will feature an open question and answer session with Board accessibility specialists on the ADA and the ABA Accessibility Standards. Participants are encouraged to submit questions in advance of the session through the webinar site. Questions also can be posed during the webinar.

Subsequent Board webinars will cover:

• Restaurants and Cafeterias (April 4)
• Elevators and Platform Lifts (May 2)
• Fire Alarm Systems (June 6)

For more information, including registration instructions, visitwww.accessibilityonline.org. Archived copies of previous webinars can be accessed on this site.

http://store.simplyaccessible.com/virtual-seminar/accessible-maps/A workshop by Derek Featherstone:

What good are maps to blind people?

That's a question we get asked all too often. Back in November, I hosted a talk at a local partners offices about accessibility and how we can use accessibility as a design tool to solve other problems. Because, quite often, when we make something more accessible to people with disabilities, we make it better for everyone.

After the talk, I spent time with some of the audience that was there and I was asked by a number of people about maps. "How do we make maps accessible?" they asked. "Why would we waste all that time on a tool that is so visual and that blind people wouldn't really want to use anyway?" "What value are maps to blind people?"

Really?

Yes, really.

So let me be blunt. Here's why we put together this course:

Number 1:
Making maps accessible doesn't just mean making them accessible to people that are blind using a screen reader. It means making sure that we do everything we can to ensure that people with any ability or disability can use the maps that we create.

Number 2:
There's generally two kinds of maps in this world. Maps for the sake of maps, and maps that serve a very specific purpose -- to show data; to provide routes; to orient oneself to find a local landmark. Those functional, specific maps are the kind that most teams want in their sites. And that functionality is something that everyone needs, including people with disabilities.

Number 3:
If you think that the companies that create the maps and their APIs are going to make things accessible for you by default, you're wrong. For whatever reason, Google Maps, Bing Maps and others aren't very accessible. If you want to do maps right, you'll need a guide. That's what this course is all about.

More information:

http://store.simplyaccessible.com/virtual-seminar/accessible-maps/

Every May, the National Mobility Equipment Dealers Association sponsors contests and programs designed to educate individuals on what having limited mobility is really like. A major feature every year is the Local Hero Contest. For this promotion, individuals are encouraged to submit their story for a chance to win a wheelchair accessible van and get their mobility back.

Last year the contest saw over 1,700 Local Hero entries and almost 1.3 million votes which were narrowed down until 3 winners were selected.Ride-Away was personally involved with one of the winners, Alberto Cruz, who entered the contest with the help of his teachers and friends. Roland from our Hartford Location was instrumental in submitting and procuring the proper vehicle for Alberto's needs.  At the conclusion of the contest each of the winners was presented with a brandnew wheelchair accessible van that was customized and adapted to their individual mobility needs.Mobility Equipment Dealers Association sponsors contests and programs designed to educate the public on what having limited mobility is really like. A major feature every year is the Local Hero Contest. For this promotion Local Heroes challenged with limited mobility are encouraged to submit their story by video or blog for a chance to win a wheelchair accessible van and get their mobility back.

Today, this year's Local Hero contest officially launched and the NMAM website is now accepting submissions! If you'd like to enter the contest for yourself or someone else, you can do so in just a few easy steps. First visit the NMAM website by clicking here.

More:

http://blog.ride-away.com/nmedas-national-mobility-awareness-month-contest-kicks-off/

The extended deadline for abstract submissions is Saturday, 23 February 2013 at midnight (UK time).

Selected Authors will be informed of review decisions on 22 March 2013.

Full papers will need to be submitted by 1 May 2013

Best wishes

Include 2013

c/o Kinetix Events Ltd

Tel: 01933 382191

Email: includepapers@kinetixevents.co.uk

Web: http://www.hhc.rca.ac.uk/4989/all/1/include-2013.aspx