Latest news with #InclusiveFuture
CTV News
27-05-2025
- General
- CTV News
National Accessibility Week underway in Sudbury
With the theme of 'Breaking Barriers Together: Paving the Way for an Inclusive Future,' Sudbury marked the start of Accessibility Week at city hall Monday. It's National Accessibility Week and many events will be held across Greater Sudbury. The theme this year is 'Breaking Barriers together: paving the way for an inclusive future.' Alicia Grace Chenier, 25, has been blind since birth and said she often has to adapt to the world around her. Accessibility week It's National Accessibility Week and many events will be held across Greater Sudbury. The theme this year is 'Breaking Barriers together: paving the way for an inclusive future.' (Lyndsay Aelick/CTV News) 'I'm always saying I'm a blind girl in the sighted world because I've just had to constantly adapt,' Chenier said. 'And so this week is really bringing in that accessibility awareness that we all need -- and I hope it continues because, you know, accessibility isn't just needed within one week.' She is also one of the vice chairs of the accessibility advisory panel in the city. Chenier said the group has worked hard to include people who have lived experience taking part in important conversations. Another vice chair, Gina Kennedy, said they work with the city to develop policies promoting accessibility. 'Especially our consultation policy that we're really proud of this year,' Kennedy said. Accessibility week2 It's National Accessibility Week and many events will be held across Greater Sudbury. The theme this year is 'Breaking Barriers together: paving the way for an inclusive future.' (Lyndsay Aelick/CTV News) 'That triggers an awareness to look at the policies, even the older ones, to make sure that they have that inclusive language, but also that they're thinking about the future.' The panel was on hand for the proclamation Monday at Tom Davis Square. The event also featured the wheelchair challenge. The challenge is just one of several daily events taking place during the week put on by Independent Living Sudbury Manitoulin (ILSM). 'Thursday we have 'Cruisin for Inclusion,'' said Brandon Jalbert, the group's marketing coordinator. 'We are walking from ILSM all the way down around City Hall, back up Larch Street, all the way to 125 Durham St.' On Friday, he said they will hold their first night market. 'We're shutting down the street from Medina Lane all the way down to the corner of Elgin,' Jalbert said. '(On) Saturday, it's the big one -- the accessibility expo. So that is from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and we're getting all the organizations from Sudbury and local businesses to come together on the street to promote accessibility.' For a full list of events, click here.
Zawya
22-05-2025
- Business
- Zawya
The Digital Future is Inclusive: Innovation Week Tanzania 2025 Closes Strong, Powered by the Future Ready Summit
Innovation took center stage in Tanzania as Innovation Week Tanzania 2025 (IWTz2025) anchored by the Future Ready Summit (FRS2025) wrapped up a powerful five-day journey of ideation, collaboration and solution-driven dialogue. With the theme 'Innovation for an Inclusive and Resilient Future,' the landmark platform brought together a diverse mix of policymakers, innovators, private sector leaders, development partners, academia, and youth to reimagine Tanzania's development agenda through the lens of homegrown, inclusive, and tech-driven innovation. The events, held from 12th to 16th May 2025, served as a national platform to drive forward-thinking dialogue around digital transformation, urban development, climate adaptation, AI adoption, and inclusive technologies. Satellite events and activations extended the impact across regions reaching universities and communities in Arusha, Morogoro, Zanzibar, Mwanza, Dodoma, Iringa, Mbeya, and beyond, ensuring the innovation conversation was truly nationwide. Vodacom Tanzania PLC, UNDP Tanzania through its FUNGUO Innovation program and the Tanzania Commission for Science and Technology (COSTECH) jointly spearheaded the week's activities, showcasing the strength of public-private partnerships in shaping Tanzania's innovation ecosystem. Speaking at the event, Philip Besiimire, Managing Director of Vodacom Tanzania, underscored the importance of designing human-centered innovation. 'Any technology that is not human-centered and solving real human challenges is impractical. We must ask ourselves: is the technology we're building truly usable by the average Tanzanian? Innovation must be inclusive, accessible, and transformational. That's what we are building toward.' The Future Ready Summit 2025 explored how Tanzania can accelerate its journey towards smart cities, 5G connectivity, e-governance and Artificial Intelligence, while also bridging the digital divide. It provided a space for policymakers, startups, and digital experts to engage in meaningful dialogue and unveil solutions that could propel Tanzania into a tech-enabled and inclusive future. Simultaneously, Innovation Week Tanzania 2025 provided a broader picture for innovation in action. From community-led tech innovations to startup pitch sessions, climate solutions to digital skills initiatives, the week celebrated Tanzania's innovation potential especially from youth and underrepresented communities. Tech exhibitions, roundtables, workshops, and policy forums created a dynamic environment for engagement, idea exchange, and cross-sector collaboration. Highlighting the developmental angle of the week's activities, John Rutere, Deputy Resident Representative at UNDP Tanzania said, 'At UNDP, our FUNGUO Program is designed to spark innovation among young Tanzanians. The program gives them access not only to tools, but to the environment and support networks they need to tackle real societal challenges and scale impact.' On the government's role in driving research and innovation, Dr. Amos Nungu, Director General of COSTECH, noted, 'Innovation must move beyond profit to serve people and the planet. Public-private partnerships are where innovation meets action and opportunity—and it's up to all of us to mobilize around a shared purpose.' As IWTz 2025 and FRS2025 close, the momentum generated, and partnerships formed have laid a strong foundation for future collaboration. Tanzania's journey toward a resilient, inclusive digital economy is not only underway, but also being shaped by its own people, with the support of visionary partners and a shared commitment to impact. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Vodacom Tanzania Plc.
