Global Disability Summit: Accessibility 2030 booth

Accessibility 2030: GDS Exhibition Booth

Accessibility 2030 is an initiative lead by GDI Hub in partnership with the UK AID funded AT2030 programme, the Global Disability Fund, UNHabitat and World Blind Union.

This initiative is to bring together, through a partnership, organisations that ensure that a diversity of voices and expertise is showcased, emphasizing the power of collective action on making our cities more inclusive.

Together, the partners will present projects and tools that advance accessibility in cities. The exhibition booth at the GDS is a continuation of the Accessibility 2030 initiative debuted in October 2024, where we brought together 15 partners at World Urban Forum in Cairo, Egypt in November.

The booth will feature a collaborative showcase of innovations, case studies, and tools aimed at addressing urban accessibility challenges. The content will be tailored to engage visitors, fostering dialogue on how we can work together to make our cities more inclusive.

In addition to the booth, we will be hosting two side events at the GDS. These include: 

Al for development - bridging the barrier between non-standard speech and the use of Automatic Speech Recognition

Event Details

Date: Wednesday, 2 April
Time: 17:45 - 18:45
Location: Global Disability Summit, Berlin, Hall 4.2

Overview

AI is increasingly embedded in our daily lives, and it has the potential to revolutionise many areas, including assistive technologies.

This side event, co-hosted by the Global Disability Innovation Hub and Google at the Global Disability Summit (GDS), explores the intersection of AI and Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR), focusing on bridging the gap for people with non-standard speech. Through digital innovation and local expertise, AI holds transformative potential to enable better communication for individuals with speech challenges.

We will explore the importance of local knowledge, research, and digital capacity building and how bespoke AI solutions can create lasting change for individuals with diverse communication needs.

This session will showcase practical examples of how Google, alongside the Global Disability Innovation Hub’s AT2030 Programme, is pioneering AI development and pushing forward the Centre for Digital Language Inclusion. This centre focuses on AI-powered speech recognition for non-standard speech, with local language models provided as an open-source resource.

Key Speakers:

• Christopher Patnoe – Head of EMEA Accessibility and Disability Innovation, Google
• Professor Catherine Holloway – Co-Founder and Academic Director of the Global Disability Innovation Hub; Professor of Interaction Design & Innovation, UCL
• Dr. Richard Cave – Research Fellow, Global Disability Innovation Hub; Speech and Language Therapist
• Gifty Ayoka – Founder, Talking Tipps Africa Foundation; Advocate for disability inclusion and access to assistive technology
• Yvonne Johnson – Advocate for AI and Diversity, specialising in non-standard speech solutions

How can Asia and the Pacific’s banking sector advance the economic inclusion of people with disabilities?

Event Details

Date: 3 April 2025
Time: 13:00 - 14:00 PM
Venue: Hall 4.2, Station Venue, Berlin
Hosted by: Asian Development Bank (ADB) Trade and Supply Chain Finance Program (TSCFP) & Global Disability Innovation Hub (GDI Hub)

Overview

At the Global Disability Summit (GDS) 2025, this side event - How can Asia and the Pacific’s banking sector advance the economic inclusion of people with disabilities? A case study from Asian Development Bank(ADB) & Global Disability Innovation Hub (GDI Hub)- will explore how the banking sector in Asia and the Pacific can drive economic inclusion for people with disabilities.

Despite representing a significant portion of the population, individuals with disabilities face systemic barriers in accessing financial services and employment. Addressing these challenges is key to achieving sustainable economic growth and social equity.

Speakers

• Leah Gutierrez (Moderator) – Director General, Sector Department 3, Asian Development Bank
• Can Sutken (Panelist) – Principal Investment Specialist, Trade and Supply Chain Division, ADB
• Pollyanna Wardrop (Panelist) – Senior Researcher, Financial Inclusion, GDI Hub
• Mirza Muhammad Asim Baig (Panelist) – Group Head, Human Resources, National Bank of Pakistan
• Maka Bochorishvili (Panelist) – ESG Coordinator, TBC Bank
• Muhammad Atif Sheikh (Panelist) – Executive Director, Special Talent Exchange Program (STEP), Pakistan