Some 600 participants attended the third Access Israel convention which focused on Innovation

The convention was held on May 28th at the Avenue Convention Center, in the Airport City. The event focused on Innovation in Accessibility, and hosted senior lecturers from Israel and abroad. Knesset Members Yitzhak “Bougie” Herzog, Ya’ir Lapid and Ilan Gil’on attended the convention and delivered greeting speeches.

According to data provided by Israel Central Bureau of Statistics, in 2014 more than 1,600,000 people with disabilities lived in Israel ; about 20% of the country’s population. The third Access Israel convention placed a specific topic on the agenda: providing accessibility to people with disabilities in the business, institutional, municipal and private sectors.

For the third year, Access Israel initiated the convention, in order to present an enriching professional and pedagogic platform, which enables to discuss accessibility subjects and present technological innovations from the world of global accessibility. Some 600 participants attended the conference including Knesset Members, renowned business leaders, accessibility experts and professionals, architects, designers and engineers, representatives from local authorities and government offices, members of disability rights organizations, related service and equipment suppliers and other participants who are dedicated to promoting accessibility in Israel.

The convention was held as legislation procedures regarding accessibility finally became valid, requiring locations and services to be available and provide access to people with disabilities. The convention enabled the Israeli audience to learn from senior lecturers about developments in global activity. Moreover, the audience learned of successful accessibility implementation in Israel and abroad, and witnessed new, innovative developments related to physical and technological accessibility, in an impressive, professional exhibition.

Mr Jared Garner, of the Urban – Environmental development department in Berlin , attended the convention and spoke of providing accessibility to the city, for the benefit of people with disabilities, which granted the department with the Access City Award of the European Union. Mrs. Christina Tzevatnova, from the Austrian company BLITAB, presented their most recent product: an innovative add-on which turns every tablet to a Braille keyboard and thus enables blind and sight impaired individuals to use one of the most common gadgets.

Providing accessibility to shopping and entertainment centers in Israel , is an issue which gained more attention and publicity in recent years. The architect Sagit Haklai, who participated in the convention, spoke of providing accessibility to people with all kinds of disabilities in the new children museum Lunada in Be’er Sheva; the architect Yaron Granot , spoke of innovative means to provide accessibility in cinemas, cafeterias, seats in various venues and sensory experiences in Israel and abroad. The convention host was the ‘mind engineer’ Lior Manor who presented a special act for the audience. Further participants included Idan Meir (Zikit) who developed a voice navigation application, to be used in shopping centers and stores, and Moshe Kilim (Mehalev) who presented a new application, which notifies bus drivers in advance, when a person with disability waits for them in the next bus-stop.

Throughout the convention, the “Access Israel award” for promoting accessibility was granted. The award, which is named after Simcha Lustig R.I.P., is awarded on grounds of exceptional or inspirational activity related to providing accessibility to people with disabilities. An impressive, professional exhibition of accessibility service and product suppliers presented essential and advanced accessibility solutions.

Yuval Wagner, the founder of Access Israel , delivered greetings and said: “the Access Israel convention is critical to all of those who work and deal with the need of accessibility; it is crucial for counselors, representatives of companies and organizations, suppliers and people with disabilities. The convention aims to learn and gain professional tools for successful accessibility implementation. The accessibility revolution in Israel peaks; in the upcoming years accessibility will be provided in businesses, authorities, organizations and government offices. We are proud to be a part of this much anticipated process that will improve the lives of people with disabilities and their families.

Access Israel would like to thank every single one of the conference guests, the association’s staff and volunteers, the sponsors and partners, Orna Ben Haim PR office, Avenue Convention Center , Pixel studio and Publicis Advertising agency.

See you in the fourth Access Israel convention next year!