The City Council of Madrid has announced that registration is now open for the VII Universal Accessibility Conference, scheduled for October 20 and 21, 2026, at the Eduardo Úrculo Cultural Center in the Tetuán district. This year's theme is ‘Madrid, accessibility with conviction. It is your right.’ The conference can be attended both in person and online, with free registration available on the event's dedicated website.
The conference will be inaugurated by Madrid's Deputy Mayor, Inma Sanz, alongside Mayte Gallego, president of CERMI Comunidad de Madrid. Noelia Cuenca Galán, the Director General of Accessibility, will present the opening lecture and share the conference's conclusions at its conclusion.
This initiative aims to create a platform for sharing and highlighting the work done by various municipal departments and services in the field of universal accessibility. It also serves as an opportunity to exchange experiences and best practices among professionals, citizens, and organizations.
This edition coincides with the 20th anniversary of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which will serve as a framework to focus on accessibility from a rights-based perspective, emphasizing autonomy and participation.
In conjunction with the conference, the City Council will enhance the awareness campaign ‘Accessibility opens the city’ through municipal transport buses, digital screens, and online banners. This campaign highlights universal accessibility as a right and its benefits to the entire community, contributing to a more autonomous, understandable, inclusive, and participatory city for all.
A comprehensive program
The program will feature six thematic panels with 17 presentations, along with a motivational conference titled ‘Accessibility with conviction. Transforming perspectives to change the world.’ Myriam Fernández, a champion of adaptive swimming, actress, singer, and international speaker, will host the event.
On the first day, initiatives related to digital strategy, the First Action Plan of the Strategic Plan for Universal Accessibility in Madrid (PEAUM), public procurement accessibility, and the pilot project Communication without Barriers from the Municipal Police will be presented. The second day will cover topics such as cognitive accessibility, neurodiversity, workplace inclusion, innovation for an accessible city, and accessibility in parks, libraries, and museums.
Twenty years of rights
The theme ‘Madrid, accessibility with conviction. It is your right’ connects the municipal commitment to universal accessibility with the rights-based approach inspired by the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. This year's conference aims to go beyond merely eliminating barriers and universal design, addressing accessibility from the perspective of exercising rights.
To facilitate this, the conference will focus on public policy planning, collaboration with social networks, and the PEAUM as a strategic municipal framework.
Video capsules on accessibility
As a transitional element between the panels, six video capsules will be shown, linking municipal activities with the rights outlined in the convention from both internal and external perspectives. These audiovisual pieces will incorporate various experiences and viewpoints on advancements made, existing needs, and the roles of public administrations and social entities in building an accessible city.
Developed in a hybrid format, the sessions will include Spanish sign language interpretation, live subtitles, and magnetic loops, as well as accessible pathways and reserved parking for holders of reduced mobility cards. The online broadcast will also feature subtitles and a sign language interpretation window.
Acknowledging best practices
The conference will once again recognize best practices presented during the event. A jury composed of representatives from the Directorate General of Accessibility, CERMI Comunidad de Madrid, and the Spanish Association of Universal Accessibility Professionals (ASEPAU) will evaluate proposals to award recognition for the most innovative practice, the most replicable practice, and the practice with the greatest impact on citizens. These awards will be presented in a ceremony following the conference.
