Poland’s city of Warsaw won the ‘2020 Access City Award‘ for making efforts to make life easier for people with disabilities.
The accolade is handed for efforts regarding all disabilities. Not just physical disabilities but also intellectual and other non-visible disabilities.
Warsaw made public spaces or transport more accessible to people with disabilities in a short span of time. This is why this Central European city took home the ‘2020 Access City Award‘.
Warsaw wins the European Commission’s 🏆 2020 Access City Award!’ The city has shown great dedication and made significant progress in improving accessibility ♿ for everyone in a short time! Discover more on the #EUAccessCity Award at https://t.co/eKUVBDtiLe pic.twitter.com/klfTqO8Ofy
— EU Social 🇪🇺 (@EU_Social) December 15, 2019
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The city replaced old infrastructure with technologically advanced options to facilitate everyone, both able-bodied and disabled.
This doesn’t just help the 80 million people with disabilities living in a barrier-free Europe but also helps promote tourism.
If you're looking into #travel abroad 🌎, you'll want to know about the city of Warsaw's recent achievement winning the 2020 Access City Award for #accessibility! 👏👏 https://t.co/PxT55GHxC9 #disabilities pic.twitter.com/gNIOOjXe6Y
— Special Bridge (@SpecialBridge) December 11, 2019
Efforts made by other cities to make cultural heritage sites more accessible were also lauded. Last year Breda in the Netherlands won the award.
Congratulations to 🇳🇱 @breda for winning the #EUAccessCity Awards!
The Dutch city gets 1st prize for its inclusive philosophy, commitment to accessibility, engagement with people with disabilities and continuous improvement. https://t.co/DuIPnYFcOG #EDPD2018 pic.twitter.com/lHfebwA18b
— European Commission (@EU_Commission) December 4, 2018
What is the Access City Award
The ‘Access City Award’ is a competition between nations in the European Union to urge cities to be more accessible to people with disabilities. With low birth rates in the EU, the aging population requires cities that are accessible to ensure their quality of living is not affected by age.
The competition was launched in 2010 and has urged many cities to make efforts to be more accessible in terms of employment, social affairs, etc.
🇵🇱🏆The city of Warsaw has been rewarded with the 2020 Access City Award. The cities of Castellon 🇪🇸 and Skellefteå 🇸🇪 were the 2nd and 3rd place winners. The prize is given every year to the city that improves accessibility in fundamental aspects of city living. pic.twitter.com/VXWV79mTRe
— EURADA (@Eurada_RDAs) December 12, 2019
Given EU goals to promote equality of opportunity and accessibility for everyone, making cities accessible makes sense. Ensuring equality of opportunity and accessibility for people with disabilities helps the EU goal for a barrier-free Europe.
What We Can Do
Just because the Access City Award is handed out in the EU doesn’t mean the rest of the world shouldn’t try.
As European Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs, Skills and Labour Mobility, Marianne Thyssen said;
“With the Access City Award, winning cities can be an inspiration for other EU cities and beyond that encounter similar challenges.”
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Human resources are a key national resource much like other resources. By ensuring that the entire population has access to equal opportunities whether they are able-bodied or is not only healthy for the economy but society as well.
Ensuring government building is equipped with a wheelchair ramp, installing elevators rather than escalators, a handicap parking is not difficult measures to take.
Similarly a wheelchair lift for public buses and reserved seats for handicapped makes a world of a difference.
