On September 23, 2025, the First National Meeting of cities awarded with the Access City Award took place in Córdoba. The event was organized by the Spanish Federation of Municipalities and Provinces (FEMP) and the Córdoba City Council, with the collaboration of ACS Foundation.

The meeting brought together the 18 Spanish cities that have received an award or special mention from the Access City Award. These awards have been presented since 2010 by the European Commission and the European Disability Forum, aiming to recognize cities that have demonstrated an exemplary commitment to universal accessibility as a driver of urban transformation towards fairer, safer, and more accessible environments for all.

The inauguration featured speeches by Mr. José María Bellido Roche, Mayor of Córdoba; Mr. Luis Martínez-Sicluna Sepúlveda, Secretary General of the FEMP; Mr. Luis Cayo Pérez Bueno, President of the National CERMI; and Mr. José Mayor Oreja, Director of ACS Foundation.

During the event, the participating city councils were able to exchange experiences and progress made since receiving the award or mention, highlighting their leadership in promoting universal accessibility.

The meeting culminated with the reading of the Córdoba Declaration for Universally Accessible Cities (spanish), which emphasizes the commitment of the participating entities to accessibility as a cross-cutting axis of their public policies, fostering the participation of people with disabilities and their representatives in the design of accessible cities.

Awarded Spanish Cities:

-      Ávila: 2011, 1st Prize

-      Barcelona: 2011 / 2022, 2nd and 3rd Prize

-      Santander: 2012, 2nd Prize

-      Terrassa: 2012, Special Mention

-      Bilbao: 2013, Special Mention

-      Pamplona: 2013, Special Mention

-      Burgos: 2014, Special Mention

-      Málaga: 2014, Special Mention

-      Arona: 2015, Special Mention

-      Logroño: 2015, Special Mention

-      Lugo: 2017, Special Mention

-      Vigo: 2019, Special Mention

-      Castellón de la Plana: 2020, 2nd Prize

-      Palma: 2022, Special Mention

-      Córdoba: 2023, 2nd Prize

-      Mérida: 2023, Special Mention

-      San Cristóbal de La Laguna: 2024, 1st Prize

-      Cartagena: 2025, 3rd Prize

From July 30 to October 9, the restoration work being carried out in the Capilla del Sagrario of the Collegiate Church of Briviesca (Burgos) can be visited, with the collaboration of the ACS Foundation.

The Capilla del Sagrario had been closed due to serious damage to its walls caused by water infiltration from the roof and subsequent migration of salts into the masonry. After addressing the roof's waterproofing, the Regional Government of Castilla y León has authorized emergency work in the chapel to stabilize the various strata, consolidate disaggregated areas, and monitor humidity levels.

This activity, called “Open for Works”, allows small groups to tour the installed scaffolding and observe the progress of the stabilization process of the wall and their mural paintings, accompanied by restoration technicians. 

Mandatory registration here

From August 3 to 14, the XXVIII edition of the Aspaym Summer Camp took place in Cubillos de Sil (León), organized by the National Aspaym Federation and the Royal Board on Disability, with the collaboration of ACS Foundation and other institutions.

More than 130 children, with and without disabilities, from across Spain, enjoyed inclusive activities and dynamics alongside thirty monitors at the accessible facilities of "El Bosque de los Sueños" (The Forest of Dreams). The common theme for all games in this edition was disco music.

This initiative helps fulfill Article 30 of the International Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which promotes participation in cultural life, recreational activities, leisure, and sports.

On July 9, 2025, the event “Universal Accessibility: An Ally for Retaining Population in Rural Spain” was held at the headquarters of the Spanish Federation of Municipalities and Provinces (FEMP), in collaboration with the Royal Board on Disability and ACS Foundation. The aim was to help local governments, especially those in rural areas, implement universal accessibility in their policies.

This initiative seeks to ensure that older adults and people with disabilities can move around their towns with ease and continue living in these areas, serving as a strategy to address the demographic challenge in rural Spain.

The seminar featured contributions from experts, representatives of disability advocacy groups, and organizations linked to accessibility and personal autonomy. Representatives from villages that have successfully implemented universal accessibility initiatives also participated, including: Pescueza (Cáceres), Belmonte de Miranda (Asturias) and Ribadeo (Lugo).

The Spanish Federation of Neuromuscular Diseases (Federación ASEM), in collaboration with ACS Foundation and other institutions, has organized a new edition of ASEM Summer Camps, an inclusive summer camp for children and young people with and without neuromuscular diseases.

The event takes place from July 6 to 13 at the La Cinglera camp facility in Vilanova de Sau (Barcelona), a fully adapted natural setting designed to ensure the safety, comfort, and enjoyment of all participants. Over the course of a week, 31 children and teens aged 8 to 18—27 of whom have neuromuscular diseases—will share experiences, games, emotions, and learning in a barrier-free environment, fostering independence and social integration.

ASEM Summer Camps is the only camp in Spain that brings together children and young people with neuromuscular diseases every year, offering them a unique experience on equal terms. Its personalized care model provides one monitor for each child with a neuromuscular disease, supported by a multidisciplinary team of 28 professionals, including coordinators, monitors, healthcare staff, and personal assistants.

This year’s theme revolves around robots, the future, and superheroes, a narrative that will guide the week’s activities and, as in every edition, reinforce key values such as respect, coexistence, cooperation, and inclusion.