The Lojze Bratuž Cultural Centre in Gorizia hosted the first public conference of the cross-border project DigARegion on Tuesday, 3 February. The event aimed to highlight the importance of digital accessibility and to present the efforts of the project partners to reduce the digital divide in the cross-border area between Italy and Slovenia. The central message of the meeting was that digitalisation must not become a barrier, but rather a tool for the inclusion of all social groups.
In their opening remarks, representatives of the project partners emphasised that accessibility in modern society does not only mean removing architectural barriers in the physical environment. The key challenge remains ensuring equal access to information, services and digital content for all users, regardless of their age, digital literacy or possible disabilities. The DigARegion project therefore represents an important opportunity to build upon existing activities and establish new accessibility standards in the region.
The central part of the conference featured expert contributions from Igor Miljavec, President of the Inter-Municipal Association of the Blind and Visually Impaired of Nova Gorica, and Tilen Škraba from the Institute for Digital Accessibility A11Y.si. Igor Miljavec highlighted the Strategic Accessibility Plan of the Municipality of Nova Gorica as an exemplary case of a comprehensive approach linking physical and digital accessibility. He stressed that systematic awareness-raising, education and close cooperation among all stakeholders are the only way to ensure equal opportunities for all citizens.
Tilen Škraba presented the participants with the concrete challenges that people with disabilities face when visiting websites and using digital services. Through the analysis of specific examples, he demonstrated how thoughtful design of online content can significantly improve the user experience, while also pointing out the most common mistakes that prevent certain groups from accessing essential information.
The main mission of the DigARegion project is to empower institutions in the implementation of digital accessibility standards. This will be achieved through four key pillars: the preparation of professional guidelines for reducing digital gaps, the implementation of specialised training programmes to strengthen staff competences, the establishment of a permanent support point, and the development of a dedicated web portal.
The support point, which provides answers to questions related to website accessibility, is already operational and can be contacted via email at info@dostopnovsem.org. The dates of training sessions aimed at strengthening competences in the field of digital accessibility for all those who work with web content will be announced shortly.
The DigARegion project, co-financed by the Interreg VI-A Italy–Slovenia Programme, connects partners and promotes the exchange of cross-border knowledge, laying the foundations for a space where digital services and cultural heritage are truly accessible to everyone.
