Symposium
The ALL Institute celebrated its fifth anniversary at the end of November, which also coincided with the second anniversary of its blog – Ideas in ALL–. With this in mind, we, the blog’s editorial team, invited ALL members, as well as its collaborators and close stakeholders to engage with the topic of sustainability and contribute to a dedicated symposium.
Central to the work of ALL is the core ethos of a rights-based, person-centered approach to social inclusion and independent living. The theme of sustainability aligns itself closely with this underpinning vision. As such, the work of ALL comprises a vital nexus between academic research, civil society, lived experience, law and policy. Sustainability represents a core principle of the ALL Institute, and hence of the Ideas in ALL Blog.
At first sight the term sustainability may appear elusive, or a bit too all-encompassing. Or, it may immediately make you think of the Sustainable Development Goals and the 2030 Agenda. However, we believe the scope of sustainability reaches far beyond this. For this year’s symposium, we wanted to showcase how the work and experiences of our members and collaborators are rooted in sustainability, aligning with the commitment to ‘leaving no one behind’. In this respect, we still wanted to follow an understanding of sustainability revolving around three pillars: environment, economy, and society.
In this symposium, you will find that Cassandra Murphy, PhD Researcher in Maynooth’s Department of Psychology with the H2020 project GoGreenRoutes, engages more at length with the meaning of sustainability and the abovementioned pillars in her blogpost. She highlights the need for transdisciplinary research, such as that conducted in the ALL Institute and its projects, to address sustainability in a comprehensive manner. As she explains, her research on human-nature relationships certainly follows that route and reflects on the concerns of citizens and cities drawing from the different sustainability pillars. In addition, she also underlines another facet of sustainability; what it means to be sustainable with oneself, and the need to integrate self-care and balance varying obligations in one’s life.
People’s experiences are also at the core of one of the Institute’s flagship project, SHAPES, which addresses smart and healthy ageing, and the integration of assistive technologies. In this respect, Dr Louise Veling and Dr Rudi Villing, from the School of Engineering at Maynooth University, present the development of a roadmap for social and assistive robots for older care within the remit of SHAPES. To ensure that technologies correspond to real life needs, they explain how it was informed by the experiences of older people. In doing so, we can see how research, when addressing such concerns, embarks on a path of sustainability, ensuring that the innovation and development of technologies meaningfully contribute to ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being for all at all ages.
Furthermore, a symposium for the anniversary of the ALL Institute and its blog would not be complete without taking a moment to celebrate the United Nations (UN) International Day of Persons with Disabilities which happened last Saturday, on the 3rd of December. It is the thirtieth anniversary of the annual observance of this day since the UN General Assembly resolution 47/3 proclaimed this day in 1992. Annual celebrations of this day help to raise awareness of the challenges experienced by persons with disabilities and the physical and social barriers that still exist and often deprive them of their right to participate in all areas of life. It represents a fundamental annual milestone with which we can reflect on the progress made, and yet to be achieved, towards the attainment of equality and inclusion for persons with disabilities. A world without inclusion for all not only lacks sustainability, but arguably forgoes a very future for itself. We want to promote a sustainable and inclusive world that encompasses a person-centered approach to social and community development.
With that in mind, the symposium includes a blogpost by Dr Ana María Sánchez Rodríguez, MSCA Fellow and Adjunct Assistant Professor of the Assisting Living and Learning (ALL) Institute. In her topical blogpost, Ana conducts an interview with Stephanie Ortoleva, Founder of Women Enabled International, who details her invaluable experience of campaigning for the rights of women with disabilities. The blogpost captures, at a human level, Stephanie’s reflections on feminism and her tireless advocacy for women’s rights, inclusivity and equality for persons with disabilities.
Finally, Ruth O’Reilly, Senior Built Environment Design Advisor within the Centre for Excellence in Universal Design (CEUD) at the National Disability Authority – National Disability Authority (nda.ie) (NDA), provides an informative overview of the guiding ethos of ‘social sustainability’ in the work of the CEUD at the NDA. In particular, Ruth emphasizes the importance of ‘UNSDG 11: Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable’, as a pillar of the sustainable development approach to universal design.
We are proud and excited to showcase these thought provoking and relevant posts, highlighting such a range of important topics. Taken together, these posts show the depth and breadth of sustainability as a concept and as a goal. Whether it be through environmental awareness, a sustainable path for older people, or the lived experiences of women with disabilities, sustainability is fostered throughout life and throughout research. We hope you will enjoy the selection of posts we have for you today on the most auspicious and serendipitous of occasions- a celebration of inclusion, activism and person-centred living.