(MENAFN- The Peninsula) The Peninsula
Doha: The importance of building a more inclusive and accessible future that does not replicate existing accessibility barriers – both in the physical and digital worlds – was emphasised at the latest edition of Qatar Foundation's Education City Speaker Series.
Dr. Victor Pineda, President and Founder of the Pineda Foundation and World Enabled, spoke on the topic“Recognizing a Right: Why We Need to Build an Accessible World”.
The talk, organised in collaboration with the World Innovation Summit for health (WISH) – Qatar Foundation's (QF) global healthcare initiative – explored the challenges that people with disabilities continue to face, how they can be overcome, and why shaping a truly accessible world is everyone's responsibility.
“If people are still just thinking of elevators and ramps when they hear accessibility, then they are missing the entire conversation. We're talking about innovation, transformation, and building a future where all people can express their full potential,” said Dr. Pineda.
He highlighted the need for increased advocacy, saying:“Advocacy isn't just a destination, it's a way of thinking and opening the door for discussion and debate. And, recognizing the dreams, hopes, frustrations, and barriers of persons with disabilities.“We can't stop there, we need to go beyond just inspiring people to advocate for change, but also equipping them with the appropriate tools and expertise to bring about change.”
Dr. Pineda, who is a frequent visitor to Qatar and has seen the country drastically change as it has prepared to host the upcoming FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, said:“I can tell you from experience, it will be by far the most accessible FIFA World Cup in history.
“I hope that the momentum generated around accessibility will live on beyond the World Cup and that all the work done on accessibility will be disseminated to every school, to every place of employment, and to every public space, so persons with disabilities can continue to benefit from it.”
According to Dr. Pineda, the only way to succeed in creating truly accessible and inclusive spaces is to have an integrated cross-sectoral approach to identifying and eliminating barriers and looking at those barriers in a holistic way.
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