Spotlight on accessibility during European Day of Persons with Disabilities
Empowering inclusivity: read how Acceslibre empowers communities with access to public spaces using open data
On November 30th and December 1st, the European Day of Persons with Disabilities (EDPD) unfolded in Brussels, marking a significant annual event. This two-day conference, a collaborative effort between the European Commission and the European Disability Forum, brought together over 400 policymakers, high-level experts, and disability advocates. The conference served as a crucial platform to address vital themes, including the right to vote and stand for elections, the European Year of Skills 2023, and the Strategy for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities 2021–2030.
This yearly gathering underscores the ongoing commitment to ensuring equal rights and opportunities for persons with disabilities. As the European Commission emphasises the importance of working together to achieve a Union of equality, the conference delved into discussions on political participation, skills development, and progress made in advancing disability rights.
A noteworthy aspect of this year's EDPD was the Access City Award ceremony, recognising efforts to enhance accessibility in urban environments. From an open data perspective, the Accesslibre platform is worth noticing. Acceslibre stands out for providing accessibility information to buildings open to the public. They offer accessibility details, allowing individuals to assess the suitability of an establishment before visiting. Acceslibre encourages collaborative contributions from users, local authorities, and establishment managers. The dataset, which is shared on the data.europa.eu portal, not only aids disabled individuals in navigating public spaces, but also assists managers and administrations in shaping effective accessibility policies.
As we celebrate the European Day of Persons with Disabilities, it is evident that open data initiatives like Acceslibre play a crucial role in advancing accessibility, contributing to a more inclusive society. Explore the Acceslibre dataset here to delve into the accessibility details shared collaboratively for the benefit of all.
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