Accessible Future – A Dialogue That Changes Society

ZAGREB, 28 May 2026 - Digital technologies are shaping the way we communicate, learn, work and access services. However, without accessibility, every technological advancement has the potential to deepen existing inequalities. It is for this reason that the Croatian Regulatory Authority for Network Industries (HAKOM), in partnership with Poslovni dnevnik, is organising the international conference Accessible Future for the fifth consecutive year. The conference will take place in Zagreb on 2 June, with the aim of fostering dialogue on accessibility and promoting the equal inclusion of persons with disabilities in society.

For the past four years, the conference has served as a platform where all relevant stakeholders - associations of persons with disabilities, public authorities, the academic community and industry representatives - can exchange views, knowledge and ideas, while jointly promoting accessibility and universal design as the foundations of an inclusive society.

As the regulator of network industries, HAKOM recognised more than a decade ago that dialogue with persons with disabilities themselves is essential to any initiative aimed at improving the existing situation. The Accessibility Enhancement Programme, which has been implemented for many years in cooperation with the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing of the University of Zagreb and interested associations of persons with disabilities, clearly demonstrated the need for a conference of this kind. Highlighting HAKOM’s commitment to this objective ahead of the fifth edition of the conference, HAKOM Director Miran Gosta stated:

“Digital development is meaningful only if it is accessible to everyone. The role of the regulator is to ensure that technology does not create new barriers, but rather contributes to the equal participation of all citizens in the digital society.”

This year’s edition of the conference places the spotlight on the increasingly ubiquitous field of artificial intelligence - an area that is becoming an integral part of virtually every digitalisation initiative and one that HAKOM, in its role as a regulator, will be addressing with growing intensity in the years ahead. The conference is founded on the understanding that digital accessibility is not merely a technical issue, but also a matter of rights, inclusion and quality of life. Particular emphasis is placed on the role of artificial intelligence, which offers new opportunities while at the same time requiring a responsible and ethical approach to its development and deployment.

Ahead of the conference, the Ombudsman for Persons with Disabilities, Darijo Jurišić, also highlighted this issue, noting that new technologies can significantly enhance the independence of persons with disabilities, but only if they are developed in accordance with the principles of universal design and with the active involvement of the users themselves. In this context, digital accessibility must not be treated as an optional extra, but as a standard:

“Technology must be a tool for creating equal opportunities, not a new form of barrier.”

Part of the conference will also be dedicated to the broader issue of the inclusion of persons with disabilities in society and the importance of raising awareness of this topic across all areas of life, not solely in the context of digital accessibility.
 
Ahead of the conference, Bojana Dražić of the Institute for Expert Evaluation, Professional Rehabilitation and Employment of Persons with Disabilities (ZOSI) highlighted the close link between digital accessibility, education, employment and everyday life:

“It is essential to actively monitor the development of digital and technological solutions that are shaping modern society so that, through the exchange of experiences and examples of good practice, we can further enhance accessibility, improve the quality of services and expand opportunities for the equal participation of persons with disabilities in all areas of life.”

The final part of the conference will be dedicated to the employment of persons with disabilities through the awards ceremony of the “Experience That Makes a Difference” project. This is a project run by Poslovni dnevnik that has, for many years, connected students with disabilities with partner employers for work placements, thereby both raising awareness in society and providing tangible support to young people with disabilities.

“We promote the topic of persons with disabilities in our media space beyond the sphere of young people, as a society of equal opportunities and an accessible future is an imperative that knows no age boundaries,” said Mladen Miletić, Editor-in-Chief of Poslovni dnevnik, ahead of the conference.

The international conference will be streamed live on HAKOM’s Facebook page and YouTube channel.

The conference programme and information on participation are available via the following link.