A conference to mark the 2021 European Day of Persons with Disabilities will take place online on 2 and 3 December. People with disabilities across Europe still face considerable barriers in their everyday lives. The conference will examine their experiences and needs and the European initiatives that aim to overcome these barriers.
The conference is hosted by the European Commission in partnership with the European Disability Forum (EDF). Representatives from the Commission, EDF, and national and international disabled people’s organisations will participate in a series of webinars exploring current challenges for disabled people across Europe. The first day of the conference will focus on access to healthcare and digital transformation. The second day will focus on children with disabilities and will examine the European Union initiatives that are in place to ensure their rights are met.
At the end of the conference, a city will be presented with the Access City Award 2022 for its efforts to become more accessible to people with disabilities. The shortlisted cities are Barcelona, Helsinki, Leuven, Luxembourg, Palma and Porto.
Participation is by invitation, but the conference will be available to watch live on the European Day of Persons with Disabilities website, which also contains more information about the event.
The International Day of Persons with Disabilities is also on 3 December. This year, its focus is on fighting for disabled people’s rights in a post-COVID era. A number of online events are taking place to mark the day, including a session on the voices of young people with disabilities. More information on the events is available on the United Nations website.