From the “PugliAccessibile” assembly, a call to institutions: inclusion cannot remain symbolic, but must become a structural responsibility of public administration and a driver for truly universal social and tourism development.
The “PugliAccessibile” assembly was held at the Bari City Hall, providing an open and in-depth forum on disability, accessibility, and the role of institutions in building a fairer and more inclusive society. The debate focused not only on physical barriers but, above all, on cultural and organizational obstacles that continue to limit the full participation of millions of citizens in public life.
Participants included: Giovanni Carrassi, Andrea Abrescia (online), Dr. Nicola Marzano, Franco De Mario, Giuseppe Pagliarulo, Raffaele Sforza, Ivana Palieri, Cassandro Marina, Garibaldi Giuseppe Lopane, Corrado Africano, Ranieri Lucrezia, Loporcaro Caterina, Donato Cippone, Nicola De Toma, Clara Nanna, Giorgio Skoff (online), Donatella Albergo, Giuseppe Mariani, Antonio Guida, Alessandro Massafra (online), Valerio Vastarella (online), and Titti Ruggiero (online).
Also present was Italo Carelli, city councilor with the delegation “for policies concerning people with disabilities and for the promotion of accessible and inclusive cities and communities in the Metropolitan City of Bari.”
The meeting strongly highlighted the need to move beyond a symbolic and episodic view of accessibility. Inclusion cannot be confined to commemorative days or occasional initiatives but must become a structural principle of public policies, guiding urban planning, services, communication, and administrative decisions. Without genuine awareness of needs, it was emphasized, even the best technical solutions risk remaining ineffective.
Special attention was given to the relationship between technical expertise and political responsibility. Technical solutions are essential but insufficient if not backed by clear institutional will and organized social pressure. Accessibility must be integrated from the planning stage of public interventions, from mobility to traffic management, from digital services to the management of urban spaces.
The assembly also reviewed the path of the Puglia Accessibile association, created to promote accessible tourism in Puglia. This journey was based on concrete data showing significant deficiencies in the regional hospitality system, with only a small percentage of facilities being truly accessible. Hence the commitment to awareness-raising, training, and dialogue with operators and institutions in a context that still has significant room for improvement.
The contradiction between promoting a welcoming territory and the daily reality experienced by people with disabilities was also highlighted. Many are forced to navigate cities that are difficult to traverse, with inadequate pedestrian routes and services that are not fully usable. This gap concerns not only infrastructure but also the very way public space and citizenship rights are conceived.
The assembly also marked a formal milestone for the association, initiating the process of approving its statute and moving toward registration in the National Single Registry of the Third Sector (RUNTS), a strategic step to strengthen the association’s role and its engagement with institutions.
A clear message emerged from the meeting: accessibility is not a sectoral issue but an indicator of civility and democratic quality. It is a challenge that concerns the entire community and calls on institutions to listen, plan, and act, making inclusion an integral part of development and social cohesion policies.
The debate repeatedly stressed the need to shift from an emergency-driven approach to a systemic vision that recognizes disability as a transversal condition, not an exception. The assembly demonstrated that the absence of inclusive planning has effects that impact the entire community, affecting urban quality of life, access to services, and the ability to fully exercise citizenship rights.
Significant attention was also given to participation. Associations and citizens highlighted the need for structured and ongoing dialogue with local administrations, so that public policies can be built based on real needs and direct experience. Such dialogue, it was emphasized, must translate into operational tools, working groups, and co-design processes, avoiding purely formal or consultative approaches.
Within this framework, PugliAccessibile reaffirmed its willingness to actively contribute to decision-making processes, offering expertise, data, and field experience. The stated goal is to support institutions in a process of cultural and administrative growth that makes accessibility a structural element of territorial policies, from urban planning and mobility to tourism promotion.
The assembly concluded with a commitment to continue the work underway, strengthening the association network and consolidating dialogue with public bodies. A path looking to the future, based on the conviction that inclusion is not a cost but a strategic investment for sustainable development, social cohesion, and the very image of the territory.