Authors: Deirdre Desmond, Delia Ferri and Mac MacLachlan; ALL Institute Co-Directors
“Life is not a series of gig lamps symmetrically arranged; life is a luminous halo, a semi-transparent envelope surrounding us from the beginning of consciousness to the end” Virginia Wolf, ‘Modern Fiction’, 1921.
2020 was certainly a difficult year for many of us, both on personal and work levels, and, despite these challenges, it is noteworthy that the work of the ALL Institute has not only proceeded, but also the commencement of several research projects ensure that we will continue to contribute in many respects to the building of a fairer society. In the past three years, and more so in 2020, we have endeavoured to reach out to different communities and stakeholders at the local, European and global levels. We also launched this blog on the 3rd December 2020, a particularly significant date, the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, to signal our commitment towards inclusion and equality.
During 2020, our activities, research and enthusiasm have been challenged by the global pandemic and by the lockdown measures to contain the spread of the Coronavirus. We used technology as never before, and this gave us the possibility to further reflect on, and experience, the extent to which the application of appropriate technologies empowers people, keeps communication alive, and can enhance social inclusion. The increased level of digital literacy across many sections of the population holds out the possibility of a digital bounce for 2021. A bounce in the sense that cultivates a ‘new normal’ which is more effective at assisting living and learning, due, in part, to our greater digital literacy.
In line with this, we are now looking at this new year as an opportunity to enhance research that informs policy-making, advances technology that is useful for people, and engages with communities. In that regard, we will follow closely the roll out of European Union (EU) policies, as detailed in the 2021 Work Plan of the European Commission. Our agenda for the forthcoming year aligns with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, and with the EU Strategic Foresight, published in September 2020. Our interdisciplinary research, in fact, already touches upon the four interrelated dimensions identified by the Commission, i.e. the social and economic, geopolitical, green, and digital dimensions, which are key to boost the EU’s resilience. With our project SHAPES, we aim to actively contribute to the building of a stronger European Health Union, a better experience of ageing, and to guaranteeing the rights of older people and people with disabilities. We also intend to actively participate in the debate on the Conference on the Future of Europe. Our work in the ReCreating Europe project, will be key to ensuring a fair digital transition and equal access to digitalized cultural goods. The future European Disability Strategy (already discussed in a previous post) will be another landmark for us, which we will watch closely. With the ADVANCE Centre for Research Training, our ongoing collaboration with Microsoft, and our involvement in WHO’s new Digital and Assistive Technology for Ageing (DATA) initiative we are helping to realize the connected digital era, for all.
With the commencement of vaccine distribution, we also look to 2021 with hope, and aim to resume (when it will be safe to do so) activities on campus. We again look forward to hosting in Maynooth, international researchers, practitioners and activists. In the first part of the year, we will act mostly online. We will host a series of webinars, which, we anticipate, will prelude to on campus and blended seminars and events in the second part of 2021. The first webinar will address the new Global Survey on Participation of Organisations of Persons with Disabilities in Development Programmes and Policies created by the International Disability Alliance (IDA) in collaboration with ALL Institute researchers. This survey, which follows the first global survey carried out in 2020, will collect further data to contribute to developing a global participation index. The first webinar marks the latest ALL Institute’s endeavour to raise awareness on participatory policy-making and to contribute to the realization of the rights set forth in the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). The CRPD, on the whole, aims to ensure the active participation of persons with disabilities in political, economic, social, and cultural life by recognizing human diversity. It is built on the core concepts of the dignity of each individual and autonomy or self-determination, and it is underpinned by the principles of non-discrimination and equality.
For the first time, from February 2021, the ALL Institute will host a placement for an LLM student, piloting a new collaboration between the ALL Institute and the Department of Law. This follows the success of the 2020 ALL Microsoft-Internships, in partnership with Experiential Learning Programme, which provided interns with work and research experience with both Microsoft and Maynooth. The ALL Institute is rooted in the Maynooth academic community and aims to be an important resource for all students. In that connection, we are planning to make the ALL Institute a new hub for people to acquire news skills, to promote lifelong learning and ultimately empower individuals.
Happy New Year from ALL!
The ALL Institute Directors
Deirdre Desmond, Delia Ferri and Mac MacLachlan