How an international conference aims for inclusion and a better quality of life

The European Academy of Childhood Disability (EACD) is an international academic organization of professionals committed to a better quality of life for everyone who has suffered a disability during childhood. More than 1,200 scientists from all over the world exchanged the latest scientific insights on this subject during the EACD 2024 conference at the end of May in Bruges. A cooperation between KU Leuven, the City of Bruges and VisitFlanders Convention Bureau.

Elegast Monbaliu is a professor at KU Leuven Campus Bruges (rehabilitation sciences and physiotherapy) and co-organizer. This conference is the largest European conference in the sector. With this conference, Professor Monbaliu wanted to go further than exchanging scientific insights. His goal was to improve the quality of life of people with disabilities. The congress as a lever for change and more inclusion.

On the one hand, there was a strong four-day scientific program where the latest findings of clinical research and developments in the field of rehabilitation and treatment for this target group were discussed. But the conference was also consciously committed to a greater impact for the region. Inclusion and better accessibility to sports, culture and technological applications for the target group was the goal. They did this on the one hand by closely involving the target group in the organization of the conference and opening the conference to them and their families, but on the other hand by organizing several activities – under the umbrella EACD+ - that served as a lever for more inclusion.

First of all, there was the Opening Concert in Concertgebouw Brugge. A concert by children and young people with and without disabilities. The start of a long-term collaboration, a new inclusive musical boost in the region where making music can be done together, without distinction of disability. The conference theme was also 'Composing a New Symphony. Challenging times, new collaborations'.

In the Expo Hall of the BMCC (venue with M+ label) an Experience Room was organized. A fair where visitors were introduced to many (high) technological solutions that can make life with a disability more pleasant and of higher quality.

Finally, during the Sports Festival children and young people could get a taste of sports and enjoyed exercise tailored to their capabilities. Through initiations, lectures, workshops and training, visitors were also able to increase their knowledge about inclusive sports and contribute to putting it into practice.

Bruges has the international image, the accommodation, the conference capacity and the right supportive and enterprising policy to host major events such as the EACD conference. In addition, the conference theme also fitted in perfectly with the city's healthcare profile.

The City of Bruges strongly focusses on accessibility for people with disabilities. At the end of 2020, Bruges’ city council signed the charter 'Towards an accessible municipality' of Inter, the Flemish expertise center on accessibility and 'inclusive design'.

Visit Bruges created the brochure '𝓞𝓸𝓸𝓱! Bruges, accessible for everyone' as well as a web page easily usable by the blind and visually impaired: https://www.visitbruges.be/en/plan-your-visit/accessibility