CABE partners for "Inclusive Cities Workshop - 2016" with JMI University, Delhi, India during [19-20 Dec 2016]

Dear Colleagues,

CABE India was a proud partner with Jamia Milia Islamia University for the "Inclusive Cities Workshop 2016" held on 19-20 December 2016 at New Delhi, India.

This workshop brought together international and national urban thought leaders and researchers to share their work in making cities inclusive. The impressive list of speakers at the Workshop included Ms. Åsa Vagland, Dr Sylvia Nagl, Mr. Jan Nederveen, Prof. Kotaro Nakamura, Director & Professor, School of Art + Design, San Diego State University (SDSU), California, U.S.A. Dr. Shiela Mitra Sarkar, Dr. Anvita Arora, MD & CEO, Innovative Transport Solutions (iTrans), Dr. P. Partheeban, Prof. & Dean (Academic), St. Peter’s College of Engineering and Technology, Avadi, Chennai, Dr. Sudhir Krishna, IAS, Former Secretary Urban Development, Government of India, Mr. Subhash Chandra Vashishth, Advocate Disability Rights & Founder CABE India, Dr Juin Dutta, Dr. Nalini Thakur, Professor, Architectural Conservation, SPA Delhi, Col Anuj Srivastava (Retd), visiting Faculty, Amity University among several others. Detailed list of speakers & their profile is available at Our Speakers.  

A promotional Poster of the Workshop

Designing Cities for All: It was felt that Cities could never be planned or designed in the studios. Cities are organic and the needs are often not frozen in time when the design was created. Moreover, cities around the world are facing challenges of economic downturns, climate changes, population migration from war zones and other conflicts around the world. While we stand together to provide affordable housing, education, food security, access and safety to all, we also need to be cognizant that there are limited resources that need to be used creatively and wisely. 

Dr. Sudhir Krishna, IAS, Former Secy, UD, GOI speaking

A session at the workshop in progress

Gender Friendly Cities: As women bear the burden of socio-economic disparities and the lack of access to resources force them to be entrenched in cycles of poverty, its crucial that a gender supportive infrastructure in created in urban &  rural areas. We need to create sustainable solutions for our villages & cities that reduces excessive migration from rural India. 

Walkability: Every person irrespective of social status/ economic status, is a pedestrian first. Lack of accessible & safe pedestrian facilities discourage walkability which is directly related to not just independence & road safety but also to health & active living styles. Safety, dedicated lanes & climatic conditions do play a role in promoting walking & cycling as preferred mobility options. The cities need to look at these factors too to make non-motorized transports like cycling & walking for short distance travel.

Dr. Sheila Mitra Sarkar, Dr. Kulsum Fatima & other Speakers with Mr. SC Vashishth at the Workshop

Inclusive Cities: The workshop presented an opportunity for researchers and professionals, to hear from professionals in India and around the world who have made a difference and moved towards making the concept of 'an inclusive city' a reality -a city that supports sustainable transport, conservation of resources, most importantly, access to water while empowering the under-served. The workshop also gave an opportunity to students and urban thought leaders to brainstorm and discuss how we can make cities more inclusive. Workshop speakers were researchers, lawyers, sociologists, artists, musicians, activists, community organisers and socially-conscious young professionals who have realised that our future progress depends on creating inclusive cities.

Accessibility: Persons with disabilities & seniors face acute challenges of accessibility in built environments, services, attitudes of society in every day lives, hence feel excluded. No city can be inclusive if it claims growth and development sans its elders & disabled residents. Best practices in these areas were shared & discussed. Mr. Vashishth made a detailed presentation titled "Accessibility in Built Environment for an Inclusive & Smart Habitat in India". 

A Team from AADI consisting of Mr. Muthuswami,
Ms. Darshana Khir  & others with Mr. SC Vashishth

In addition, an Access Study Tour of the University was undertaken under guidance of Mr. SC Vashishth along with user-groups from Action for Ability Development & Inclusion (AADI) for the benefit of Workshop participants. 

Join our Community Page on Facebook Page - Inclusive Cities  & CABE Foundation, India

Invitation for 'Accessibility Training Workshop for Future Professionals' during 09-12 Dec 2016 at SPA Bhopal

Dear Colleagues & Design Students,

As you must be aware, the Accessible India Campaign (Sugamya Bharat Abhiyan) was launched as a nation-wide campaign to achieve universal access for persons with disabilities (PwDs) on 03 Dec 2015 by Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, Govt. of India so that equal access is provided to all, irrespective of age, ability and condition. To make inclusive cities a reality, it is very important for professionals to become socially aware and develop skills to address the related issues. 

To promote the objectives of the Campaign & to encourage understanding of challenges and opportunities for universal access in Indian cities, 'Centre for Human Centric Research' (CHCR) is organising “Accessibility Training Workshop for Future Professionals” at The School of Planning and Architecture (SPA), Bhopal (an ‘Institution of National Importance’, under MHRD, Govt. of India), for the students of architecture, planning, design, engineering and other related disciplines, from 9th-12th December, 2016. The workshop will give insight to universal access with focus on the implications of ability and disability on usability of the built environment, spaces, buildings, infrastructures and interfaces. 

Founder of CABE, Sh. Subhash Chandra Vashishth has also been invited to address the participants on  the Legal Framework on Accessibility and Universal Design and act as a Jury on the Design Competition.

If you are a student of architecture, planning, design, engineering or other related discipline and want to update yourself with the concepts of accessibility & universal design and want to learn its application in architecture, landscapes, heritage sites, urban design and planning, you are encouraged to register for the workshop scheduled from 09-12 December 2016. For more details visit http://accessibility.spabhopal.ac.in 

Here is the poster for the event:

We are looking forward to your participation. See you at the Workshop!