Last January 26-27, 2007 the first meeting of the International Congress “TECHNOLOGIES AND REFORMS AGAINST DISABILITIES -Digital and political revolution for “freedom of speech�? and independent living” was held in Milan. Please find copied below and attached the objectives and the programme of the event, along with the final document issued by the congress. Any amending or improvement by any subject interested in the issues at stake is strongly encouraged. THE OBJECTIVES Nowadays technologies allow people with disabilities to recuperate some sensorial skills they have lost. The availability of necessary devices and assistance still varies among the different countries and towns, mainly depending on the expertise and sensibility of single structures or people involved, not to mention the funding capability of the citizens with disabilities. Since it goes about sensorial skills – speech, sight, hear and tact – which are vital for the individuals, the opportunity to recuperate them should push the society – hence the public institutions – to do all is reasonably possible to consent the disabled people to recuperate them. The demographic projections which define the disability a more and more “mass�? social issue along with the spectacular technological advancements make possible – hence an absolute must for politics – a jump in the quality of their capability to afford the actual and potential demand. For that purpose the institutions, i.e. Government, Parliament, Regions, Provinces and Cities, the European Union, should deeply invest from a political, economical and cultural point of view, in order to remove the existing barriers impeding the diffusion of present and future technologies against disabilities and connected services. The Congress will represent a seat to compare experiences and expertises of patients, physicians, firms and associations. It will not be a simple conference, on the contrary it will represent the start meeting of a “permanent Congress�? contributing to trigger a real political revolution aiming at seizing the opportunities of the ongoing technological revolution. THE FINAL PROGRAMME FRIDAY, JANUARY 26 10.00 AM Registration 10.30 – 13 AM – Opening ceremony Chairman: Marco Cappato (MEP and Executive Director of the Luca Coscioni Association) Introduction: M. Antonietta Farina Coscioni, (Co-President of the Luca Coscioni Association) Welcome: Roberto Formigoni (President of Lombardy Region) – Giuseppe Andreoni (Politecnico of Milan), “Scientific innovations and medical progress�? – Rita Bernardini (Executive Director of the Italian Radical Party), “Disability and illness as political priorities�? – Marcello Crivellini (Politecnico of Milan), “An active health care policy for an independent living�? – Marco Beltrandi (Co-President, Parliamentary Commission for Transport and Communication, Italy), “Communication and accessibility: re-affirmation of old rights�? – Luigi Vimercati (Undersecretary for Communication) Experiences on the ground by: – Adriano De Maio (Delegate of the President for Research and Innovation, Lombardy Region) “Policies on disability: from Heath Service to heath�? – Ombretta Fortunati (Counsellor in charge of Social and Disability Policies, Province of Milan) – Tiziana Biolghini (Counsellor in charge of Disability Policies, Province of Rome) – Mario Staderini (Counsellor in charge, Medical and Disability Commission, 1st Municipality of Rome) Remarks: – Beatrice Magnolfi (Undersecretary, Representative of Italian Ministry of Innovation and Reform in the Public Administration) – Paolo Benini (President of the “7 Novembre ONLUS�? Foundation) – Luigi Giacco (Responsible of Disability Policies, Democratici di Sinistra) – Urbano Stenta (Advisor on Disability General Directorate for Development Cooperation, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Italy), “New Technologies for physical and sensorial accessibility (Article 9 UN Convention)�? 1.00 – 2.30 PM Lunch 2.30 – 5.00 PM Session: “Medicine and Health. The medical-scientific results obtained�? (part I) Chair: Giuseppe Andreoni (Politecnico of Milan) – Antonio Giuseppe Malafarina, “The point of view of a disabled person, working on disability and ICT�? – Mario Melazzini (President of AISLA, Italian Association for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis), “Technological and legal instruments for the LAS patients�? – Alessandro Giustini (Head Physician, Rehabilitation Department and Scientific Director of the Auxilium Vitae), “The frontier of rehabilitation in response of the needs of not speaking people�? – Massimo Guerreschi (Head Consultant on Aids, “E. Medea�? Scientific Hospital, Italy) – Franco Molteni (Head Physician, “Beretta Valleduce�? Hospital) “The point of view of a physician/ physiatrist�? – Claudio Bitelli (President of GLIC – Italian Network of Technological Aids Centre), “The Experience of Aid Centre of Bologna and the Italian network of Aid Centres�? – Gabriella Veruggio (President of ISAAC Italy – International Society for Augmentative and Alternative Communication), “The communication is a right, not a present�? – Emanuela Maggioni (Head Physician of Neuropsychiatry and Rehabilitation of the Evolutive Age, IRCCS “Santa Maria Nascente�?), “Mobility devices for children affected by serious disability: necessary tools to grow up�? – Paolo Cosi (Siblings Association) “The contribution of new technologies to a better integration�? 5.00 – 5.30 PM Coffee Break 5.30 PM – 8.00 PM Session: “Medicine and Health. Services and rules for an independent life�? Chair: Marcello Crivellini (Politecnico of Milan) – Dirk Lembrechts (MODEM, Flemish Centre for AT), “Reuse communication devices for ALS/MND: fast and low cost�? – Mary Blake Huer (Ph.D., President-Elect of ISAAC – International Society for Augmentative and Alternative Communication; Dean of Health Sciences, University of Indianapolis), “Working in partnerships globally for technologies which improve opportunities for Persons with Disabilities�? – Renzo Andrich (Researcher, Centre of Bioengineering, Don Gnocchi�? Foundation), “Prospects of improving the prosthetic assistance�? – Aurelia Rivarola (“Benedetta D’Intino�? Foundation) – Donatella Poretti (Member of the Italian Parliament, Presidential Office, Social Committee of the Italian Parliament) 8.00 PM End of works – Dinner SATURDAY, JANUARY 27 9.00 – 9.30 AM Welcome of: Livia Turco, Minister of Heath 9.30 – 11.00 AM Session: “Research and technological innovation: the possible revolution between market and rules�? Chair: Valentina Melis (journalist, Il Sole 24 Ore, expert in disability and social issues) – Daniele Capezzone (Chair of the Productive Businesses Committee of the Italian Parliament) – Davide Cervellin (Tiflosystem) – Paolo Vaccari (Vice President of Assoausili), “The business’ demands�? – Phil Cowans (Dasher Project Development Leader, Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge), “Dasher: Information Efficient Text Entry�? – Maria Teresa Agati (Study and Research Commission for disable people – Confindustria) – Simone Soria (President of AIDA), “Devices and information instruments for disables and older people�? – Janina Sajka (Senior Accessibility Consultant, American Foundation for the Blind) – Francesco Maringelli (Chief Scientist and CEO, S.r.Labs), “iAble, the new frontier of accessibility: control computer through eye movements, voice e touch-screen �? – Andrea Poltronieri (responsible for SMT) “Available and costless technology�? 11.00 AM Coffee Break 11.30 AM – 1.30 PM Session: “Communication and new technologies�? Chair: Marco Beltrandi (Co-President, Parliamentary Commission for Transport and Communication, Italy) – Roberto Napoli (Member of the AG-Com Commission) – Paul Timmers (European Commission, Head of DG Unit “ICT for Inclusion�?) – Michele Pompeo Meta (President of the parliamentary Commission for Transport and Communication, Italy) – Carlo Romeo (Chief Manager, Social Action Department Rai) – Juan Reig Redondo (Director of the Consultores Euroamericanos Asociados, Sevilla, Spain), “Innovation and ICT: proposals for a better life for all�? 1.30 PM Lunch 2.30 – 3.00 PM Welcome of Emma Bonino, Italian Minister of Trade ad European Affairs 3.00 – 5.00 PM Session: “Politics and society: reforms and necessary interventions�? – Mina Welby – Marco Pannella (MEP, President of the Senate of the Transnational Radical Party) – Bruno Tescari (General Councillor of the Luca Coscioni Association and Vice-president of FISH – Italian Federation for the Overtaking of Handicap) – Luisella Fazzi (President of the Italian Council on Disability) – Ida Collu (president of the Italian Deaf Association and of CIDUE Italian Council of the Disabled for relations with the European Union) – Mauro Mantovani (Responsible for the Social Affairs, Forza Italia), to be confirmed – Erminia Emprin (Responsible for the Disabilities Policies, Partito della Rifondazione Comunista), to be confirmed – Saleh Oraibi (Ph.D., MCSP, Physiotherapy Assistant Professor, AL- Hashmite University, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Physical Therapy Department, Amman, Jordan), “The problem of disability in the Arabian world�? – Pietro Mercandelli (Presidente of FAND) OPEN DISCUSSION Conclusions: Marco Cappato (MEP and Executive Director of the Luca Coscioni Association)