It’s time for our yearly tradition with a meetup on GAAD, (Global Accessibility Awareness Day). And we’ll be hosted again by Spotify at their headquarters at Regeringsgatan 13. It will be an evening of awesome talks, good discussions and friendly people. Don’t miss this! We will have four lightning talks (10-15 min each) and one keynote. Here are the lightning talks: Scaling accessibility for your organization Serah Kiburu – Senior Accessibility Engineer, Spotify. “Innovation and progress in the tech ecosystem are largely powered by extensive experimentation and fast prototyping. Often, this means that there is a very short and strict checklist that guides the definition of what is ready for launch, and accessibility is not always high on this list for many product teams and organizations. This talk will go over some of Spotify’s approaches to build an accessibility-centric culture across design, product, engineering and people teams, and will highlight some key lessons learnt along the way.” Innovating for Inclusive Touch – Breaking the Screen Barrier Daniel Göransson – Accessibility Clippy® at Axess Lab. “Join us for a demo of a new solution designed to make touchscreens usable for people with vision impairments. Daniel will share the thinking and development process behind the innovation, offering practical insights for anyone working to improve digital accessibility.” ChatGPT Didn’t Know About Crip Life — So I Changed That. Emma Åstrand, Crip Advocate/Disability Theorist. “A talk on how to turn a clueless AI into a crip advocate. Expect a crash course on disability identity, technical rebellion and a reminder that even Chat can learn to do better.” “Are there any good bands from Malawi?” – or: how to build an accessible musical world map. Tommy Feldt, UX designer and accessibility specialist at Useit. “Music should be universal! In this session Tommy Feldt will demonstrate how he made Explr fm – an interactive world map for exploring your music taste – accessible for users with disabilities and assistive technologies. Live demo on stage promised!” Keynote speaker (~30 min): How does tech enable me as deafblind? Torbjörn Svensson, Deafblind lecturer, adventurer and inspirer “In life with deafblindness, the digital world has brought many opportunities. Torbjörn will lecture from his perspective, as Deafblind, on digital accessibility and how it is something that everyone benefits from.”
Event Type: In Person Events
Subject: Global Accessibility Awareness Day 2025 Celebration
Organizer: Aspire to Innovate (a2i) Program
Co-organizer: Friendship
Event Date: May 15, 2025
Venue: BIDA Auditorium, BIDA Bhaban, Agargaon, Dhaka-1207
Estimated Number of Participants: Approximately 250
Chief Guest: Honorable Special Assistant to the Chief Advisor, Ministry of Posts, Telecommunications, and Information Technology
Special Guests: Secretary, ICT Division Secretary, Ministry of Social Welfare Resident Representative, UNDP Bangladesh Senior Director & Head, Inclusive Citizenship, Friendship
Guest of Honor: Mansur Ahmed Chowdhury, Chairperson of the Board of Trustees, Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB)
Chairperson: Project Director, a2i Program
Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD) is observed annually with the aim of raising awareness about inclusive digital accessibility for more than one billion people with disabilities worldwide, including over 16 million people residing in Bangladesh. The celebration of this day started in May 2012 in various countries, and it is observed on the third Thursday of May every year. The main goal of the day is to raise public awareness about inclusive digital technologies (such as websites, software, mobile applications, etc.) and assistive digital technologies for people with disabilities and to promote a positive attitude toward these technologies. Bangladesh is one of the first 20 countries to sign and support the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD). Articles 9 and 21 of this convention specifically emphasize equal access to information and communication technology (ICT) and inclusive information for people with disabilities. Additionally, initiatives have been taken to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and implement the concept of “Leaving no one behind.” Furthermore, in 2022, Bangladesh took a significant step by supporting the Marrakesh Treaty to make books and learning materials more accessible to visually impaired individuals. The “Rights and Protection of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2013” identifies the overall development and digital inclusion of people with disabilities as an essential right. Furthermore, the ICT Policy 2018 provides guidelines on digital accessibility in both public and private sectors in Sections 3 and 4. In line with this, in 2022, the ICT Division approved the “Digital Service and Web Designing Guidelines for Inclusive Accessibility,” aligned with international WCAG 2.1 standards, marking a milestone for the digital services accessible to people with disabilities. The “National Digital Transformation Strategy (ICT Department Reform Roadmap)” also clearly mentions digital accessibility. According to the 2022 Population Census, 2.4% of the population in the country has some form of disability. On the other hand, according to the 2021 National Disability Survey (NSPD), this figure was 2.8%. According to the Directorate of Social Services database, over 3.5 million people with disabilities are currently registered, with nearly 2.4 million receiving disability allowances through mobile banking. Currently, Bangladesh has more than 33,000 government websites and over 1,000 citizen e-services. Additionally, various private services, such as job portals, e-commerce, news portals, and banking services, are also provided online. Therefore, ensuring the accessibility of these government and private websites, apps, and e-services for this significant disabled population is essential to ensure a citizen-friendly, inclusive public service system. a2i
Disability Innovation Lab: The only institution within the Bangladesh government working on digital accessibility for people with disabilities is a2i. For this purpose, a dedicated unit called the Disability Innovation Lab has been created. The main objective of the a2i Disability Innovation Lab is to make websites, mobile applications, web content, and digital services more accessible and inclusive for people with disabilities. This lab provides technical assistance to various government and private organizations on digital accessibility and organizes training programs to raise awareness and build capacity on the subject. The Disability Innovation Lab supports innovative initiatives with technical assistance, promotion, and financial grants. Among the most successful innovations is the “Multimedia Talking Book,” which has opened new horizons for inclusive education for students with disabilities from Class 1 to Class 10. Additionally, platforms such as “Accessible Dictionary,” “Digital Classroom,” and “Muktapath” are playing a supportive role in ensuring accessible, inclusive, and quality education for students with disabilities. More than 33,000 websites connected to the national portal have already achieved “Accessibility level-A.” To evaluate the accessibility of these digital services, a special audit panel, consisting of people with disabilities, regularly assesses the accessibility of websites.
GAAD 2025 Celebration: On May 15, 2025, the 14th edition of the Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD) will be celebrated worldwide. Since 2022, the ICT Division’s a2i program has been observing this day. Through the local celebration of this day, people with disabilities will be able to learn about disability-friendly websites, mobile apps, and digital services. Additionally, public and private service-providing institutions are expected to become more aware of making their digital services accessible and will be encouraged to do so. To achieve the main objective of GAAD and to motivate local institutions to stay in sync with global progress, awards will be presented in three categories to initiatives and institutions contributing to the advancement of accessibility.
Possible Participants in the Celebration Event:
1. All Ministries/Departments (Chief Innovation Officers);
2. Selected private organizations providing important services (representatives);
3. Government and private organizations working with people with disabilities (representatives);
4. Development partner organizations (representatives);
5. Donor organizations (representatives);
6. Print, electronic, and online media (representatives);
7. Banking and financial service providers (representatives);
8. People with disabilities who were affected by the July movement.
Come hang out and celebrate GAAD with people passionate about accessibility and inclusive design in the Bay Area, on a friendly relaxed Thursday evening. We’ll meet at Spark Social, an outdoor food truck park designed for communities and families.
Join us for Accessibility in Action, a dynamic half-day event dedicated to advancing digital access and enhancing user experiences. This year’s event will feature a fireside chat with Jennison Asuncion, LinkedIn’s Head of Accessibility Engineering Evangelism and co-founder of Global Accessibility Awareness Day. Explore a range of accessibility topics through lightning talks, product demos, and interactive table discussions covering screen readers, ADHD research, accessible document tools, and more.
This powerful poster series shines a light on the lived experiences of Old Dominion University alumni, employees, and students with disabilities. Each of the ten posters shares a personal – stories of challenge and resilience, creativity and adaption, pride and progress. Through these narratives, you will gain insight into the diverse tools, resources, and support systems that empower members of our Monarch community to live full and meaningful lives.
In Indonesia entertainment sector, there is a rise of awareness of inclusive entertainment. While many events, including concerts starting to provide sign language interpreter, many visual based entertainmet still lack of accomodation for those in need, such at people with Low Vision and the Blind. This sharing session will introduce and discuss the importance of audio description, how to do it correctly, and how it should be performed in digital platform. Hosted by A11yID, the speaker will be from a certified audio description specialist. Whether you’re a designer, developer, content creator, or simply curious about accessibility, this session will deepen your understanding of inclusive storytelling—before enjoying the final presentations of the Accessibility Design Challenge.
As part of the Suarise GAAD celebration 2025, Suarise in collaboration with Visinema invite you to experience Bioskop Bisik (Whispering Cinema) Jumbo—a unique, inclusive movie screening designed for people with and without disabilities to enjoy together. The event will gather volunteers as whisperers, and pair them with The Blind and Low Vision to enjoy the newest ayet most succesful animation film in Indonesia. Dalam edisi khusus ini, kami menciptakan ruang yang ramah di mana aksesibilitas bukan sekadar renungan—tetapi fitur utama untuk menikmati hiburan bersama secara inklusif. All chosen volunteers will get quick training about audio description.
Join us as we celebrate innovation and inclusion at the final presentation day of Indonesia’s first Accessibility Design Challenge, hosted by Suarise and A11yID. This event is the culmination of weeks of independent learning, group workshops, and mentorship where students and professionals in UI/UX have reimagined how accessibility can be integrated from the design stage. Now, our finalist teams are ready to present their Figma prototypes and accessibility documentation—demonstrating how thoughtful design can break digital barriers. Whether you’re a designer, developer, educator, policymaker, or accessibility advocate, this is your chance to see inclusive design in action, connect with the community, and be inspired by the next generation of accessibility champions. — The Accessibility Design Challenge event stems from critical insights highlighted in a recent Deque Case Study in 2023, which revealed that a staggering 67% of accessibility issues originate during the design phase of digital products.Therefore, there is an urgency of eto enhance awareness and practical skills in digital accessibility design among students and UI/UX professionals. This event continuing the 2024 A11y Bootcamp, the first digital accessibility bootcamp in Indonesia. Supported by ISIF Asia & APNIC Foundation
Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD) Open House 15 May 2025 Save the date! Join us for an inspiring and engaging event in celebration of Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD)! At Empower we are dedicated to making the digital world more accessible for everyone. This event is the perfect opportunity to connect with colleagues, friends, partners, and clients who share the same vision. Let’s come together to exchange insights, network, and take action towards a more accessible world.
Event Details
📅 Date: 15 May
📍 Location: EmpowerNL 4 Escasoni Place St. John’s
🕓 Time: 13:00 to 16:00
Why Attend?
✅ Expand Your Network: Meet professionals, developers, and advocates in the accessibility community.
✅ Gain Practical Knowledge: Learn about digital accessibility, accessibility best practices, and adaptive technology.
✅ Improve Your Website Accessibility: Get a speed audit of your website with expert feedback.
✅ Engaging Workshops: Compuslt Demos & Displays
✅ Hands-on sessions on accessible gaming and experience screen reader software and web accessibility.
✅ Drinks & Bites: Enjoy a relaxed atmosphere with great conversations and refreshments.
Collaborating Partners
We are excited to work with Compusult who will be introducing assistive technology (AT). AT enhances the quality of life, promotes inclusion, and improves the well-being of individuals with disabilities and those with aging-related challenges.
How to Join?
Interested? Let us know through the registration form and secure your spot! Looking forward to seeing you there!
Treasures await you in the hunt for digital accessibility nuggets of gold! Bring your lunch and your laptop, and in teams you’ll scour the internet in order to complete challenges. Win a challenge and you’ll get a treasure! No prior accessibility knowledge required. Learn, connect and celebrate Global Accessibility Awareness Day with us!
**Schedule:**
12pm – Doors open
12:15pm – Event starts (in-person and streaming via Zoom)
1:15pm – End
Thanks to our sponsors Aleph Accessibility and two/fiftyseven.
**Livestream option:**
It would be great to see you in person! But if you can’t make it, here is the livestream link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82552227768?pwd=JMXarPUbgJ87W5H3oa9WbR3XpczYoF.1
Or Zoom Meeting ID: 825 5222 7768, Passcode: 615394
Other details:
- Bring your own lunch
- The event will be live-streamed with auto-generated captions
- The event space is wheelchair accessible
- Please let us know if we can provide any additional accommodations!