The European Disability Forum (EDF), in partnership with Microsoft, is delighted to announce the 4th European Accessibility Summit on May 7th, 2024 in Brussels and online.
What’s in store for this year’s edition?
This hybrid event will bring together people from the disability community, leaders in different industries, and decision-makers to discuss accessibility. The Summit will happen just a month before the European Parliament Elections. It will look at the progress made in the last five years of the Parliamentary term and the challenges that still need to be addressed.
Panels: Insights and Exploration
Panel 1: Reflecting on Accessibility Achievements and the Road Ahead in the Next 5 Years
In recent years, the European Union has introduced several initiatives to promote accessibility in various areas. The European Accessibility Act, the Web Accessibility Directive, and the AccessibleEU Centre are some of the latest tools designed to create more inclusive societies. In this panel, experts in the field will discuss the progress made, the benefits of these initiatives, and areas for improvement. They will also set a course for the EU’s accessibility agenda for the next five years, paving the way for a more inclusive future.
Among the panellists, we will hear from:
- Alejandro Moledo, Deputy Director and Head of Policy, European Disability Forum
- Dr. Klaus Miesenberger, Head of Instituten Johannes Kepler University Linz, Austria
More speakers will be announced soon.
Chiara Giovannini, Deputy Director-General and Senior Manager Policy and Innovation at ANEC, the European consumer voice in standardisation, will moderate this panel.
Panel 2: Accessible Technology and Political Participation
It is important that persons with disabilities take part in the political process in order to uphold democracy. With the European Parliament Elections coming up, accessible technology can help persons with disabilities exercise their political rights. This panel will discuss how accessible technology can assist with political engagement, share information, deal with difficulties, and provide opportunities for empowerment.
Among the panellists, you will hear from:
- Nellika Valder, Deputy Head of State Electoral Office of Estonia
- Helga Stevens, Former Member of the European Parliament
- Dave Leichtman, Director, Corporate Civic Responsibility, Democracy Forward, Microsoft
Nadia Hadad, Executive Committee Member of the European Disability Forum, will moderate this panel.
Panel 3: The Potential Impact of Corporate Sustainability Reporting on Workplace Inclusion
The way companies think about their responsibilities is changing. They are starting to focus more on things like how they treat the environment, how they treat employees, and how they make decisions. In this session, speakers will discuss how companies can better include persons with disabilities. They will also talk about how companies can report on good practices and how that reporting can help create a more welcoming and accessible workplace.
Speakers will be announced soon. Ornella Cosomati-Koschwitz, Director of Sustainability Policy at Microsoft will moderate this panel.
Conversation and demo session
During the day, there will also be a conversation between Rylin Rodgers (Disability Policy Advisor, Microsoft Accessibility) and Thorkild Oelsen (EDF Executive Committee Member) on Artificial Intelligence accessibility, exploring the opportunities for users and organisations.
From Microsoft, Hector Minto, Accessibility Evangelist, will also walk us through the concept of AI and share tips on how to interact with it, how to do prompts and How to use Copilot, Microsoft’s “everyday AI companion”.
Registrations
So mark your calendars for May 7th and join us in Brussels or online for what promises to be an informative and inspiring event. Register now to secure your spot at the European Accessibility Summit 2024!
Join the Conversation
Stay tuned for updates on speakers and session details as the event draws closer.
Don’t miss this chance to be part of a transformative dialogue driving accessibility and inclusion across Europe.
Follow the hashtag #EUAccessibilitySummit on social media.
Past Editions
Curious about the previous editions of the EU Accessibility Summit? Explore the resources from past editions to gain valuable insights into the evolution of accessibility initiatives.