Press Release: Avila wins first-ever European award for disabled-friendly cities

Avila, a Spanish city known for its medieval walls, haswon the first-ever European award for improving access for people with disabilities. The European Commission awarded Avila the Access City Award 2011. The annual honour aims to award efforts to improve accessibility in the urban environment and to foster equal participation of people with disabilities. The Commission praised Avila’s plan, developed since 2002, to improve accessibility to public buildings and to give incentives for private initiatives. It has also developed accessible tourism facilities and improved job opportunities for people with disabilities – working directly with disabled and elderly people's organisations. Commission Vice-President Viviane Reding, the EU’s Justice Commissioner, and Her Royal Highness Princess Astrid of Belgium presented the award at a ceremony in Brussels on the occasion of the European Day of People with Disabilities (3 December). It is one of the actions under the Commission's new strategy for a barrier-free Europe for disabled people.