Event agenda

Opening Ceremony

Accessible Tourism Forum

This forum brings together practitioners from across Europe, Latin America, and global inclusive tourism to highlight practices on removing barriers in travel, hospitality, and destinations for persons with disabilities.

Hardware and smartphones designed for blind and low-vision users

This session features Zero Project Awardees of 2026—from global corporations to emerging startups—showcasing how innovations are transforming smartphones and wearables into inclusive guides and personal assistants.

How to speak about disability

Deaf, neurodiverse, pwds: Language shapes lives. This session is about the right language, how it currently evolves, and differences that exist.

ICT-based solutions to improve access to healthcare services

This session features Zero Project Awardees of 2026 from Latin America, Africa, and Asia demonstrating how ICT solutions enhance accessibility and expand healthcare access in eye health, teleaudiology, relay services, and disability case management.

Zero Project Scaling Solutions: The six Fellows of 2026

This forum spotlights six disability inclusion innovations ready for cross-border transfer and expansion to new countries through the Zero Project Scaling Solutions Programme.

Accessibility powering employment: leadership by business, hosted by ILO Global Business and Disability Network

This session explores the powerful link between digital and physical accessibility and the employment of persons with disabilities within business sector companies.

The Digital Euro and its financial inclusion opportunities

Why does Europe need a Digital Euro? This Forum explores the financial inclusion opportunities inherent, shares best practices, and clarifies the roles of central and commercial banks, whilst, mapping the research gaps in digital finance.

Full participation for all artists and audiences

This session features Zero Project Awardees of 2026 from Europe and South America showcasing inclusive cultural practices advancing participation for creators and audiences alike.

Access to healthcare for persons with intellectual disabilities

This session highlights Zero Project Awardees of 2026 from three continents. Their innovative solutions are advancing equitable healthcare access for persons with intellectual disabilities through policy, training, and technology.

Inclusive solutions responding to climate change

Session with a 2026 Zero Project Awardee plus research and crisis‑response experts on innovative climate projects, stressing mental health in evacuation and wider urban planning.

Artificial Intelligence: A starter's guide for NGOs and DPOs

Interactive forum for Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and Organizations of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs) to discover how AI tools can streamline tasks, boost advocacy, and improve accessibility, with expert Q&A.

Accessibility by design: corporate models driving inclusion

This session features Zero Project Awardees of 2026 from Asia, Europe, and the Americas. Among them are global corporations showcasing how accessibility is integrated by design across products, services, and corporate strategy.

Young persons with disabilities as changemakers

Session on how young people with disabilities can shape communities, workplaces, and programmes, sharing the We Can Work programme of Light For The World and other examples of accessible, inclusive pathways to leadership.

Haptics, Avatars, AI: communication access for the deaf and hard of hearing

This session features Zero Project Awardees of 2026 from Africa, Europe, and Asia advancing communication for persons who are deaf or hard of hearing through innovation in haptics, AI translation, and STEM education.

How to do innovative and inclusive business in Vienna

Vienna has a great ecosystem for social business and impact-oriented start-ups. Find out more about the opportunities and services on offer and learn first-hand from innovative businesses: the pros and cons, opportunities and obstacles.

Hosted by

Vienna Business Agency

Austria

Golf, rugby, athletics: building community through sports

Join and learn how the Zero Project Awardees of 2026 are leveraging sport as a platform to advance social inclusion, accessibility, and community participation.

From commitments to impact: the GDS 2025 legacy

This forum will highlight how commitments—made at GDS 2025—are being turned into measurable local impact by governments, NGOs, civil society, and businesses, and the future potential these pledges hold for partners.

Prosthetics that are high-quality, affordable and available

This session features Zero Project Awardees of 2026 from Africa, Asia, and Europe shaping the next generation of affordable and adaptive prosthetics—ranging from recycled materials to AI-powered design and localized manufacturing.

Applications empowering neurodiversity

This session will highlight Zero Project Awardees from Latinamerica and Europe that have developed applications for users who identify as neurodivergent.

Award Ceremony

Maps, apps, and haptics for independent navigation

This session explores Zero Project Awardees of 2026 from three continents that have developed digital and tactile innovations that enhance independent navigation for persons with disabilities.

AI imagery of persons with disabilities

This forum will outline how disability representation can often be misaligned or missing in AI and what can be done about it.

Bridging continents - the Zero Project regional conferences

This session provides insights into the Zero Project’s growing network of regional conferences—from Chile to Singapore to India—by giving the floor to the regional partners who share how these events foster global connections.

Designing for Everyone: Universal Design and Accessibility

How to design for all? Core principles, key concepts, and examples from public spaces, services, products, and information, showing practical solutions that improve inclusion for everyone.

Accessibility as a Human Right

How accessibility, grounded in the UN CRPD and other conventions becomes an enforceable human right through national laws, remedies, courts and strategic disability rights litigation.

Forum der Selbstvertreter:innen / Forum of self-advocates

Forum von und für Selbstvertreter:innen, die von österreichischen und internationalen Projekten im Bereich Katastrophenschutz lernen, in einfacher deutscher und englischer Sprache.

Closing Get-Together

Join us for a recap of three energetic and engaging days of #ZeroCon26 in which the Zero Project Team would like to extend its gratitude to all participants for coming to Vienna and raise a glass during an informal reception and get-together.