Fwd: [DC] Upcoming DCAD Discussion with Dr. Vint Cerf on May 21 1400 UTC to commemorate Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD)
Amali De Silva - Mitchell
From: Judith Hellerstein <jud...@jhellerstein.com>
Date: Sun, May 10, 2026, 10:26
Subject: [DC] Upcoming DCAD Discussion with Dr. Vint Cerf on May 21 1400 UTC to commemorate Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD)
To: IGF DC list <d...@intgovforum.org>
HI All,
I hope you will join DCAD for this event to commemorate Global
Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD) an annual international event
held on the third Thursday of May (May 21, 2026) dedicated to
raising awareness for digital access and inclusion for more than
one billion people with disabilities. It will be a conversation
with Dr. Vint Cerf titled "From Access to Agency: Rethinking
Digital Inclusion for Persons with Disabilities in the Age of AI
"
We will have human captioning and also International Sign
Language interpretation for this event. We hope you will join us
on May 21 at 1400 UTC (10am Eastern) . We will send the stream
text links later.
Please register for Zoom meeting at https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/KFURWYPUR1y838puqmLxpA
Over the past decade, global policy discourse has increasingly focused on expanding “internet access” as a cornerstone of digital inclusion. Yet for persons with disabilities, connectivity alone does not translate into meaningful participation. A user may be connected, possess a device, and have basic digital skills—and still remain excluded due to inaccessible design, incompatible platforms, or poorly implemented technologies. This gap calls for a conceptual shift: from **access** to **agency**.
At the same time, the rapid integration of artificial
intelligence into digital ecosystems is reshaping how users
interact with technology. AI-powered tools—such as automated
captioning, voice interfaces, and assistive agents—hold
transformative potential. However, they also introduce new risks,
including bias, unreliable outputs, and inaccessible design layers
that may deepen exclusion if left unaddressed.
Against this backdrop, accessibility must be reframed not as a
technical afterthought, but as a **governance, rights, and
development issue**—central to debates on AI, digital public
infrastructure, and inclusive innovation.
Please do let us know if you have any concerns or have any
questions. The Zoom discussion will be recorded for those in the
Asia Pacific Time zone where this timing may not be optimal. We
look forward to hearing from you.
Best,
Judith Hellerstein
DCAD Co-Coordinator-- _________________________________________________________________________ Judith Hellerstein, Founder & CEO Hellerstein & Associates 3001 Veazey Terrace NW, Washington DC 20008 Phone: (202) 362-5139 Skype ID: judithhellerstein Mobile/Whats app: +1202-333-6517 E-mail: Jud...@jhellerstein.com Website: www.jhellerstein.com Linked In: www.linkedin.com/in/jhellerstein/ Opening Telecom & Technology Opportunities Worldwide
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