STUDY VISIT TO SPAIN
22 February 2019
In the period 20-22 February 2019, a group of representatives of the partner organizations under the project “PATHWAYS FOR ACCESSIBLE HERITAGE TOURISM” participated in a study visit to Avila, Spain.
The study visit was attended by representatives of the partner organizations of the project:
– Rhodope National Park Greece (Lead Partner 1)
– Regional Development Fund of Central Macedonia (Partner 2)
Municipality of Volvi (Partner 3)
Local Agency for Economic Development-Razlog (Partner 4) )
National Confederation of People with Disabilities of Greece (Partner 5)
Union of the Disabled in Bulgaria (Partner 6)
Technological Educational Institute of Central Macedonia (Partner 7)
Eco-World of the Rhodopes Association (Partner 8)
Kardzhali Regional Youth Parliament Association (Partner 9)
The study trip to the city of Avila in Spain aims to get acquainted with the Disability Policy and Accessibility; Accessible tourism and Accessible tourist sites, specialized units for working with people with disabilities.
Tasks – Getting acquainted with good examples and transfer of know-how in the field of accessible cultural and historical tourism, policies for people with disabilities and accessible urban environment, as well as a public structure for people with disabilities.
The activity contributes to the realization of the main goal of the project.
The project “Paths for accessible tourism” (“Access to Heritage”) aims to support the sustainable development of cultural tourism in the cross-border region of Greece-Bulgaria and to establish it as an international destination for accessible tourism, including people with disabilities and chronic diseases, adults people and their families.
In particular, the Project seeks to create conditions for the exchange and introduction of know-how and good practices related to improving the accessibility of cultural and natural structures, which will lead to improved accessibility and attendance of assets / sites of cultural and natural heritage in the cross-border region.
The “Study Abroad” activity, part of the Work Initiatives Cross-Border and Abroad Work Program, seeks to improve the capacity of project partners through information, know-how and knowledge on accessible tourism and tourism for older people in leading European countries. .
Subsequently, through the implementation of information activities (public events) and capacity building (trainings), the partners will be able to contribute at the local level to increase the capacity of the authorities responsible for the management of assets in the field of cultural and natural heritage, as well as and tourism professionals to meet the needs of adult tourism and affordable tourism at a higher quality level.
The participants of the study trip visited the Basilica de San Vicente, fully accessible for people with disabilities, and the Conference and Exhibition Center Lienzo Norte, a contemporary building and cultural center for various cultural events and exhibitions.
The second day began with a visit to the Visitors Reception Center in Avila – a modern center that provides information and services to people with all kinds of disabilities, including the blind, deaf, people with mental and physical disabilities. The team was later received by the Mayor of Avila, Mr. Jose Lius Rivas Hernandoy, at the Avila City Hall, located in an old historic building. He presented the policies, care and services that municipal authorities provide to people with disabilities, as well as their approximately ten years of ongoing efforts to make Avila an accessible tourist destination. The team of experts involved in these activities was there. Some projects for renovation and transformation of accessibility were presented, such as the Palacio de los Verdugo, the Palacio de los Superunada, the church of San Juan, the House of Santa Teresa (visited by participants on the same day) and the City Walls (visited by participants the same day) City Walls). There was a friendly discussion between the Spanish team and the project team on the League of Accessible Cities and the procedures and requirements required for membership. The day ended with a visit to the Day Care Center for people with mental disability, where the team was introduced to new equipment and methods for treatment and exchange of experiences with NGOs for people with disabilities “PRONISIMA” (” PRONISA ”) Ávila. San Juan Church, House of Santa Teresa (visited by participants the same day) and City Walls. A friendly discussion took place between the Spanish team and the project team on the League of Accessible Cities and the procedures and requirements required for membership. The day ended with a visit to the Day Care Center for people with mental disability, where the team was introduced to new equipment and methods for treatment and exchange of experiences with NGOs for people with disabilities “PRONISIMA” (” PRONISA ”) Ávila. San Juan Church, House of Santa Teresa (visited by participants the same day) and City Walls. A friendly discussion took place between the Spanish team and the project team on the League of Accessible Cities and the procedures and requirements required for membership. The day ended with a visit to the Day Care Center for people with mental disability, where the team was introduced to new equipment and methods for treatment and exchange of experiences with NGOs for people with disabilities “PRONISIMA” (” PRONISA ”) Ávila. required for membership. The day ended with a visit to the Day Care Center for people with mental disability, where the team was introduced to new equipment and methods for treatment and exchange of experiences with NGOs for people with disabilities “PRONISIMA” (” PRONISA ”) Ávila. required for membership. The day ended with a visit to the Day Care Center for people with mental disability, where the team was introduced to new equipment and methods for treatment and exchange of experiences with NGOs for people with disabilities “PRONISIMA” (” PRONISA ”) Ávila.
On the last day of the research trip we took a walk along the accessible city walls (City Walls) – a unique fully preserved medieval defense facility, accessible for a walk along 1700 m, through 4 entry points, one – suitable for people with disabilities. Visited the House of Las Carnicerías – one of the oldest buildings in the city – an example of good renovation to achieve accessibility and the Cathedral of San Salvador of Avila (Cathedral de San Salvador of Avila) and the Cardinal Museum (Cardinal Museum) – accessible to people with disabilities, providing information providing audio information in several languages.
During the visit we also got acquainted with the policy in Spain for an accessible environment for people with disabilities and the elderly.
– In the 1960s, the first representative associations of people with disabilities were established in Spain. These organizations are characterized by their increasing active participation in the design and management of resources and services provided to people with disabilities as a result of the consistent progress of social policies. In 2011, the Spanish Council of Ministers approved the Spanish Disability Strategy 2012-2020, in order to provide a framework and guidelines for the development of all disability policies in Spain. The strategy is based on principles such as non-discrimination, equal treatment before the law and equal opportunities, independent living, standardization, universal accessibility, design for all, civil dialogue, strengthening and integrating disability policies, participation or public accountability, and others. The main purpose of the document, as stated by the government, is to ensure that all people with disabilities have all the rights as others in their society and that they benefit from their contribution to the economy and social life. The document sets out strategies that are divided into measures and actions aimed primarily at the labor market, education, poverty and social exclusion:
https://sid.usal.es/idocs/F8/FDO26112/Estrategia2012_2020.pdf
– Spain is becoming increasingly prepared for affordable tourism – tourism for all. Enormous efforts are being made to remove barriers and ensure access to cultural and natural resources, to create transport standards, and to build and plan. In Spain, there are many monuments, museums, natural areas, accommodation and restaurants offering services and activities that are partially or fully accessible to travelers with wheelchairs or other disabilities. Information can be found here:
https://www.spain.info/en_GB/informacion-practica/turism o-accesible /
– Spain is one of the few countries that provides easy access to all or any of its cultural sites. These are not just vague claims, as the country has taken a huge initiative to ensure that the roads leading to its tourist attractions are suitable for wheelchairs that are not blocked by difficulties. The country has also introduced new transport standards and urban planning rules to achieve this goal. Although all Spanish cities are part of this national change, Ávila won the first-ever European award for improving access for people with disabilities– The European Access City Award in 2010, and two cities in Pamplona and Bilbao received a special mention in the 2013 EU Access City Awards for their innovative approach to affordable tourism.
– Avila has been implementing a long-term program since 2002 to make the city more accessible for people with disabilities. It includes improving accessibility to public buildings and creating incentives for private initiatives, while developing accessible tourist facilities and employment opportunities for people with disabilities. People with disabilities are involved in the planning process. Access management in Ávila includes improvements in accessibility in different categories in the city, taking into account different forms of disability, including immobility, blindness and mental illness. The city is trying to “remove physical and architectural barriers” in public buildings, despite and because of its cultural heritage and richness of historic sites. With its medieval architecture and very narrow and cobbled streets, the reconstructions, accessibility are relatively difficult in Avila. Creative thinking is needed to find solutions to this challenge, as historical sites should not be damaged in the process of changing them. One of the improvements includes special elevators and ramps, which are mounted on the famous medieval city walls, so that visitors using wheelchairs can reach the top. Being able to access the wall for the first time is a “very emotional moment” for these people, many of whom have never been to the wall before, even though they have lived here all their lives. In its decisions to improve, the city works with local organizations representing the interests of people with disabilities, such as ONCE, the national organization of blind people in Spain. Creative thinking is needed to find solutions to this challenge, as historical sites should not be damaged in the process of changing them. One of the improvements includes special elevators and ramps, which are mounted on the famous medieval city walls, so that visitors using wheelchairs can reach the top. Being able to access the wall for the first time is a “very emotional moment” for these people, many of whom have never been to the wall before, even though they have lived here all their lives. In its decisions to improve, the city works with local organizations representing the interests of people with disabilities, such as ONCE, the national organization of blind people in Spain. Creative thinking is needed to find solutions to this challenge, as historical sites should not be damaged in the process of changing them. One of the improvements includes special elevators and ramps, which are mounted on the famous medieval city walls, so that visitors using wheelchairs can reach the top. Being able to access the wall for the first time is a “very emotional moment” for these people, many of whom have never been to the wall before, even though they have lived here all their lives. In its improvement decisions, the city works with local organizations representing the interests of people with disabilities, such as ONCE, the national organization of blind people in Spain. One of the improvements includes special elevators and ramps, which are mounted on the famous medieval city walls, so that visitors using wheelchairs can reach the top. Being able to access the wall for the first time is a “very emotional moment” for these people, many of whom have never been to the wall before, even though they have lived here all their lives. In its decisions to improve, the city works with local organizations representing the interests of people with disabilities, such as ONCE, the national organization of blind people in Spain. One of the improvements includes special elevators and ramps, which are mounted on the famous medieval city walls so that visitors using wheelchairs can reach the top. Being able to access the wall for the first time is a “very emotional moment” for these people, many of whom have never been to the wall before, even though they have lived here all their lives. In its improvement decisions, the city works with local organizations representing the interests of people with disabilities, such as ONCE, the national organization of blind people in Spain. many of whom had never been to the wall before, although they had lived here all their lives. In its decisions to improve, the city works with local organizations representing the interests of people with disabilities, such as ONCE, the national organization of blind people in Spain. many of whom had never been to the wall before, although they had lived here all their lives. In its decisions to improve, the city works with local organizations representing the interests of people with disabilities, such as ONCE, the national organization of blind people in Spain.
– Avila is a member of the League of Historical and accessible cities ( League of Historical and Accessible Cities LHAC) ( http://www.lhac.eu/ /), a project created by the European Foundation Center (European Foundation Centre).
A handbook on Avila and its accessibility (in Spanish) is a well-designed guide to help people with disabilities who choose to visit Avila and is available here:
https://www.accessibletourism.org/resources/avila_access_guide.pdf
Lessons learned
The study trip to the city of Avila, Spain can be defined as completely unforgettable and valuable for each participant. No other historic city is so well organized to be friendly to people with disabilities, to provide them with the maximum so that they can enjoy the rich medieval heritage. That is why he is the first winner of the EU City Access Award in 2010.
Here you can see the successes and results of long-term work (for about 15 years) to make the city accessible to all. Even small, the Avila administration has developed and implemented significant accessibility policies as well as for people with disabilities. They have created a Guide to Planning, Designing and Marketing Accessible Routes in Historic Urban Environments, a book that can be useful to any expert or stakeholder. In addition, here in Avila, deliberate renovations can be seen to meet modern accessibility requirements, while preserving the historic heritage. In the Day Center you can see the most modern technologies for care and training of people with mental disabilities.
The acquired knowledge and know-how, the shared experience with the colleagues from the city administration of Avila and the NGO “PRONISIMA” provide invaluable and useful information for the Bulgarian and Greek project experts.
Presentation:
Del.-6.9.2-Inernational-study-visits-for-exchange-of-good-parctices-Spain-BG
Del.-6.9.2-Inernational-study-visits-for-exchange-of-good-parctices-Spain-EN