Difficult navigation at Ingolstadt's trade fairs and marketplaces

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Green City Council Pushes for Disability-Friendly Festivals in Ingolstadt

It's high time Ingolstadt took a second look at its festivals and markets, ensuring they're friendly and accessible for all, regardless of any physical or mental impairments. That's the stance of Green City Councilor Maria Segerer, who's calling for improvements in the city's ABC (Accessibility, Barrier-Free Design, Cultural Integration) approach.

"The exclusion of disabled folks at events like Christmas markets, folk festivals, or similar happenings in Ingolstadt has been a recurring issue," Segerer notes, citing accessibility issues such as the lack of orientation aids, accessible stalls, and wheelchair-friendly tables.

Following a meeting today, the city council faction of the Greens has presented a proposal to Mayor Dr. Michael Kern, outlining their ideas on how to make festivals and markets in Ingolstadt more inclusive—starting with a thorough assessment of the current state of inclusivity at these events.

The Greens' proposal suggests a two-pronged approach for tackling the issue:

Barrier-free Design: Analyze and improve the accessibility of our city festivals and markets by consulting with stall operators, the inclusion officer, and the inclusion council. Key aspects to address include suitable parking, paths, sanitary facilities, beer tents, and stall accessibility.
Inclusive Communication: Ensure comprehensive, multilingual communication and information about barrier-free offers at festivals and markets, possibly using access guides, sign language, or audio descriptions for performances and presentations.

"Our city festivals are pivotal spaces for encounter and social interaction," Segerer explains, emphasizing the importance of making these events inclusive. She looks to cities like Munich and Deggendorf, which have set positive examples with their barrier-free Christmas markets (https://christkindlmarkt-muenchen.de/informationen/muenchner-christkindlmarkt-barrierefrei, https://www.barrierefrei.bayern.de/gemeinsam-gestalten/gute-praxis/portraets-reportagen/zum-christkind-kommen-alle.php) as inspiration.

"We strive for inclusivity in Ingolstadt, and it's essential that all citizens, irrespective of any mobility or other limitations, can participate in these events without hindrance," Segerer concludes. Streamlining accessibility at city festivals isn't just about equality—it's about supporting and upholding the city's core values.

Stay tuned for further updates on the accessibility improvement efforts in Ingolstadt! 🎉🙌🌍🌟 #AccessibleIngolstadt #EveryoneIncludes #FestivalForAll

Enrichment Data:Improving the accessibility of festivals and markets in Ingolstadt largely revolves around two aspects: barrier-free design and inclusive communication.

For Barrier-free Design, considerations include ensuring suitable parking, accessible grounds, facilities for people with sensory disabilities, accessible sanitary facilities, accessible beer tents, wheelchair-friendly stalls and food services, and ride availability.

In terms of Inclusive Communication, this might involve providing detailed access guides, signage in multiple languages, audio descriptions for performances, and sign language interpretation. It could also mean creating designated sensory-friendly zones, quiet areas, and training event staff to cater to the specific needs of people with disabilities. Establishing partnerships with local disability organizations can help in ensuring the accessibility measures align with the needs of people with disabilities.

The Green City Council's initiative to enhance accessibility in Ingolstadt's festivals is not limited to physical improvements; they also focus on promoting inclusive communication to ensure all citizens can participate fully.
To enrich the lifestyle and home-and-garden of individuals with disabilities, the Greens propose barrier-free designs for Ingolstadt's festivals and markets, incorporating features like suitable parking, accessible sanitary facilities, and wheelchair-friendly food services.