“The ability to access the sea is an inalienable human right,” said Vassilis Kikilias, Greece’s tourism minister, but this right does not apply to everyone. There are “beach” bodies and bodies that are not, at least according to our still fundamentally Eilist society. Everyone should be able to enjoy the beach and the sea in summer, regardless of their weight, appearance and, above all, their abilities. However, how often have you seen a beach fully equipped for people with disabilities? Greece decided that it should be normal, standard and a program is underway to make hundreds of beaches accessible to people with disabilities.
Speaking at a press conference, the minister announced that a total of 287 new beaches will provide basic services such as parking, toilets, changing rooms, ramps and corridors for people who need them to access the beach and the sea. According to the Ministry of Tourism, make the beach accessible to a diverse population it will also boost the local economy and attract people with disabilities, as well as older people, people with temporary injuries and pregnant women. The goal is clear, as seen on the initiative’s website: turn Greece into the most accessible and inclusive travel destination.
To succeed, Greece relies on Seatrac, a free service that offers automatic access independently to the beaches and the sea for people with disabilities or reduced mobility. It is a “technological assistant”, powered by solar energy: it is a mechanical ramp that provides access to the sea along a fixed path, along which the mobile chair is transported in and out of the water. In Italy, where in 2019 there were over 600 beaches considered accessible, Seatrac is actually only present in La Maddalena and Palau, Sardinia, Bari on Torre Quetta beach and Catanzaro. Not enough yet: inclusion should be cultivated as a value for the whole society.
Source: Elle