On October 16, 2025, Varna University of Management organized a round table within the DEMo4PPL initiative, focusing on the creation of accessible and inclusive environments and the active engagement of citizens in the planning processes.

The event gathered participants from educational institutions, social economy organizations, NGOs, and businesses to exchange knowledge, good practices, and policy ideas for a more inclusive society.

During the round table, the team presented the educational resources developed within the DEMo4PPL project, designed to empower citizens to take part in accessibility planning and the co-creation of inclusive policies.

Participants learned about practical models of sheltered employment and social inclusion shared by Akademica-VUM, as well as examples of effective cooperation between educational and social organizations.

The discussions explored key challenges in ensuring accessibility across education, culture, tourism, and public administration. Representatives of the social economy emphasized the importance of state and municipal institutions as leaders of change and examples of social responsibility.

In the World-Café session, participants developed concrete proposals for improving accessibility in working, cultural, and tourism environments. These included new ideas for better collaboration between local authorities, businesses, and civil society, and tools for engaging people with diverse needs in planning and decision-making.

The event concluded with the presentation of results and an open dialogue focused on strengthening partnerships and initiating joint actions to advance inclusion and accessibility.

DEMo4PPL is an international project funded by the Erasmus+ Programme, dedicated to developing and testing an innovative modular training programme and digital learning tools for participatory planning.

For more information, visit: https://www.demo4ppl.eu/