Ioannina, Greece — Wednesday, 29 October 2025
The conference and exhibition “Accessible Spaces for All: Legislation and Best Practices” was co-organized by the following institutions:
- Technical Chamber of Greece – Epirus Branch
- Association of Parents, Guardians, and Friends of People with Disabilities “Kypseli”
- Municipality of Ioannina
- CRISIS Research Laboratory, Department of Architecture, University of Ioannina
- SADAS–PEA, the Greek Architects Association
- UIA Greek Section – International Union of Architects
This event is part of an ongoing initiative developed by the Epirus Branch of the Technical Chamber of Greece and the Association “Kypseli” to promote Accessible Spaces for All in the city of Ioannina and beyond.
During the event, organizers presented the results of questionnaires completed by citizens on two separate days in the center of Ioannina, reflecting public opinions on accessibility for people with disabilities in the city.
In addition, speakers presented current best practices and regulatory frameworks for creating accessible environments in both buildings and public spaces. Ensuring accessibility for all remains a shared social responsibility.
The conference featured opening remarks by the Regional Governor of Epirus, Mr. Alexandros Kachrimanis; the Mayor of Ioannina, Mr. Thomas Begas; the Chair of the Technical Chamber of Greece – Epirus Branch; the President of SADAS–PEA, Mr. D. Xynomilakis; the President of the UIA Greek Section, Professor Emerita F. Vavili; and a representative of the Panhellenic Federation of Associations of Parents and Guardians of Persons with Disabilities. Experts then delivered a series of presentations addressing key challenges and best practices in the design of accessible buildings and urban spaces, followed by the official opening of the exhibition.
For the duration of the conference and the three days that followed, the traveling exhibition of the UIA Friendly and Inclusive Spaces Awards and the Architecture for All work programme was hosted at the Exhibition Hall of the “Dimitris Hatzis Multipurpose Center.” The exhibition was curated by the CRISIS Research Laboratory of the Department of Architecture, University of Ioannina, in collaboration with the UIA Greek Section, and produced with the support of the Technical Chamber of Greece – Central Macedonia Branch.
The exhibition was first presented in Greece in Thessaloniki on the occasion of the UIA Region II Meeting. Its next stop will be Agios Nikolaos, Crete, following an invitation by the Lassithi Architects Association and the Technical Chamber of Greece – Eastern Crete Branch.
