Author: Ablebook
A city is considered accessible when all its residents can live in it and use all objects and services without problems. Luxembourg was awarded as the accessible city of Europe in 2022! Which city will be awarded this year? Of course, the focus is not on the award itself but on the proper practices adopted by urban centers that benefit their citizens.
The EU Access City Award is an award presented annually to cities that make efforts to become accessible and is organized by the European Commission. The award’s inception was in 2010, and it serves as a reminder to cities about the importance of being accessible to everyone. The awarded cities and countries implement “designs for all.” The EU Access City Award provides European cities the opportunity to showcase their efforts in becoming accessible to all.
Specifically, Luxembourg city, built on a rocky terrain with steep cliffs and deep valleys, faces challenges in terms of accessibility due to its hilly and narrow roads. However, it won the award because it constantly designs and works on making its infrastructure and services accessible to all citizens and visitors in various aspects such as employment, education, culture, tourism, recreation, and transportation. The city’s philosophy is to plan and implement measures, projects, and infrastructure in direct consultation with the citizens affected by them.
Measures of an accessible city:
Measures of an accessible city include, among others, free public transportation, adaptations of existing infrastructure to enable barrier-free movement and access for all citizens, and the creation of new projects with all necessary features. For instance, Bluetooth is installed in public transportation to serve people with visual impairments, and new digital technologies provide useful information such as the distance to the next station, etc. Additionally, an annual event called “Dinner in the Dark” is organized to raise awareness about the experiences and needs of people with visual impairments.
Indeed, in Finland, people with disabilities have the opportunity to communicate with architects of new projects in advance and describe their needs, ensuring that these needs are taken into consideration from the outset. Additionally, a straightforward and logical measure is the provision of sign language interpretation during municipal council sessions.
All these measures, whether simple or complex, expensive or inexpensive, are crucial for all residents of a city, especially for people with disabilities, specific needs, and the elderly. In many of our cities in Cyprus, transportation and related information are not accessible to these individuals, which means they cannot fully participate in the community like other residents.
These cities can serve as role models for our own cities, inspiring individuals with a vision in local governance to study and adapt their policies to meet the needs of their communities. While each city’s needs may differ, it is essential to listen to the needs of all citizens to make our cities accessible to everyone.
To reiterate, a city is considered accessible when all its residents can live in it and use all objects and services without problems. Luxembourg was awarded as the accessible city of Europe in 2022!
Source: European Commission, Eurocities, EU Social, https://www.ameaplus.gr/, https://e-thessalia.gr/h-poli-toy-loyxemvoyrgoy-i-nikitria-poli-toy-vraveioy-prosvasimis-polis-2022-eu-access-city-award/