APACE, the project co-funded by the European Union and led by Fondazione LIA, founded by the Italian Publishers Association (AIE) and the Italian Union of the Blind, wins the ABC International Excellence Award for Accessible Publishing in the initiatives category. It was assigned to APACE because of its critical role in preparing the publishing sector for the European Accessibility Act.

The award, promoted by the Accessible Book Consortium and led by the World Intellectual Property Organization, was presented on September 3rd in São Paulo, Brazil, at the World Blindness Summit. It is the world’s highest recognition for accessibility in publishing.

The jury particularly praised

APACE’s collaborative model and its critical role in preparing the publishing sector for the European Accessibility Act. Through training, resources, and international cooperation, the project has provided publishers and libraries with the tools they need to integrate accessibility into their daily practices.

The project involves the German Publishers and Booksellers Association, the Bulgarian Book Association, the Dutch company Stichting Dedicon , and the Finnish and Lithuanian libraries for the blind, Accessibility Library Celia and Lithuanian Audiosensory Library, whose commitment has been fundamental to the success of the initiative.

Elisa Molinari, Project Manager at Fondazione LIA and APACE coordinator, stated

Accessibility is successful when we work together. APACE has created a strong European network that helps publishers and libraries serving people with visual impairments to tackle accessibility challenges with confidence and determination. This award celebrates our shared commitment to ensuring that every reader has equal access to books.

Cristina Mussinelli, Secretary General of LIA, explains

The APACE project was born out of the international network of expertise developed around LIA, which for more than ten years has been supporting publishers in the creation of accessible digital publications and collaborating with the entire supply chain to make the experience of choosing, purchasing, and reading accessible.

Innocenzo Cipolletta, AIE President commented

This award confirms AIE’s commitment to accessibility issues. Giving everyone the opportunity to access a wide and up-to-date catalog of texts is, even before it becomes a legal obligation with the entry into force of the European Accessibility Act, a strategic commitment for those who, like us, believe in the centrality of books and the value of inclusion for the development and growth of democratic communities