Julio García/Aquí Europa
The cities of Cartagena (Spain), Borås (Sweden), Nuremberg (Germany) and Vienna (Austria) have been selected as finalists for the 2025 Accessible City Award, organized by the European Commission in collaboration with the European Disability Forum.
According to the Commission on Thursday, these cities exemplify a strong commitment to making urban life more accessible for people with disabilities, including access to buildings, roads, parks, public transport and information and communication technologies. These EU cities now have the opportunity to be recognised for their commitment with the Accessible City Award 2025.
According to Commissioner for Equality Helena Dalli, “Cities must be accessible to people with disabilities in order to ensure their full participation in society alongside everyone else.” “The European Commission actively supports pioneering cities that prioritise inclusion, recognising that accessibility is a fundamental pillar for creating a society in which no one is left behind,” she added.
This year’s edition, which marks the 15th anniversary of the Accessible City Award, has brought together the largest number of applications in the last decade: 57 cities submitted their candidature for the award, of which 33 were shortlisted by national experts. The four finalists were shortlisted by an EU jury. The Commission will award a Special Mention for Accessible Sports Infrastructure this year.
The winners of the Accessible City Award 2025 will be announced at an award ceremony on 29 November 2024 during the European Day of People with Disabilities conference, jointly organised by the European Commission and the European Disability Forum.
The 2025 winner and runners-up will receive a cash prize: €150,000 for first place, €120,000 for second place and €80,000 for third place. In addition, the jury may award up to five Special Mentions to cities that have done outstanding work in a specific area of accessibility (information and communication, including ICT; transport and related infrastructure; public facilities and services; or built environment and public space). In this edition, a Special Mention will also be awarded for accessible sports infrastructure.
