The second visit as part of the ID: CITIZEN project took place in Bratislava, Slovakia from 10 to 14 September. This successfully concluded the first phase of the project, which included two visits aimed at exploring good practices in accessibility and inclusive urban planning in Poland and Slovakia. The visit was implemented in partnership with the Integration Foundation (Poland), the Tenenet Association (Slovakia) and the Hand in Hand Organization (Hungary), with support from the International Visegrad Fund.
The participants had the opportunity to get acquainted with the long-standing portfolio of the Slovak partner – the organization Tenenet, based in the Municipality of Senec, where a meeting was also held with Ms. Jana Žitnjanska, President of the organization “State without Barriers”, a long-standing member of the EU Commission for the Rights of Vulnerable Groups and a member of the European Parliament. At the meeting with representatives of the National Urban Planning Office of the City of Bratislava, the project participants were introduced to the creation of legislation on accessibility in public environments, as well as the assessment and control processes when designing public buildings. The Dean and the scientific staff of the Faculty of Architecture and Design of the University of Bratislava presented projects for the application of universal and accessible design, which is also included in the educational program of this largest faculty of architecture in Slovakia.
The visit also included an introduction to the inclusive playground in the Municipality of Ružinov, spaciously equipped with accessible and sensory content intended for people with disabilities of different age groups, and a meeting was held with the Deputy Mayor of the Municipality of Ružinov, Mr. Martin Patoprsti, and Mr. Marek Machata, State Counselor and President of the Commission for Social Affairs for the exchange of experiences on positive practices in promoting social inclusion and spatial planning. The visit to the integrative school “Gaudeamos – Šup” and the meeting with the director, Mr. Štefan Tvarožek, rounded off the 5-day study visit to Bratislava.
“This visit gave us clear guidance on the importance of a coordinated and inclusive approach to urban planning. Only through direct familiarization with the good practices of institutions for creating accessible public spaces, educational initiatives and local policies, can we create a solid foundation for further improvement of urban space in the four countries,” said Gere Tripkov, President of the Equality Association.
The experiences from the visits to Warsaw and Bratislava from the ID: CITIZEN project offered perspectives and practices, which will be prepared in the form of a joint publication with recommendations intended for policymakers towards improving inclusiveness in all partner countries.
