Organized by Near East University, one of the world’s top 500 universities, and with the support of numerous stakeholders, the 13th “Northern Cyprus Barrier-Free IT Days” will be held on January 13-14 at the Presidential Complex, aiming for an accessible and inclusive digital future.
The “13th Northern Cyprus Barrier-Free IT Days,” to be carried out with the goal of making technology accessible to everyone, will bring together representatives from the public sector, academia, the private sector, and civil society on the same platform, under the leadership of Near East University. Until now held on the Near East University campus, this year, for the first time, the event will take place outside the campus, at the Conference Hall of the Presidential Complex on January 13-14.

Near East University, ranked among the top 500 universities in the world, is realizing this event in collaboration with the TRNC Presidency Committee on Disabilities, the TRNC Accessible IT Platform, the Turkey Accessible IT Platform, and Manisa Celal Bayar University. The event will offer participants rich content through comprehensive sessions and presentations.

Accessible IT Days brings together experts from different disciplines to raise social awareness, identify problems in the field of information technology, and develop solutions. The first day of the event will consist of three sessions, moderated by Prof. Dr. Fahriye Altınay, Coordinator of the TRNC Accessible IT Platform of Near East University; Dr. Mustafa Özhan Kalaç, Faculty Member at Manisa Celal Bayar University and Coordinator of the Turkey Accessible IT Platform; and Duygu Kayaman, Istanbul Representative of the Turkey Accessible IT Platform and Accessibility Project Manager from Microsoft Turkey.

The program and content of the 13th Accessible IT Days of the TRNC can be accessed at: https://www.engelsizbilisim.org/kktc/program/

Inclusive Solutions from Libraries to the Digital World…
On the first day of the event, Library Director Belgüzar Aksoy Gürer will make a presentation titled “Inclusive Library Services of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism”, while Oya Tanyeri, Head of the Sign Language Studies Monitoring and Coordination Unit of the General Directorate of Services for the Disabled and Elderly at the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, will speak on a topic titled “AİLEM Accessible Communication Center.” In the session titled “Accessible IT Studies in the Private Sector in Turkey”, Utku Demiryakan, International Relations and Communication Manager of the Turkish Technology Accessibility Team, Burak Yüksek, QA Test Specialist of the Turkish Technology Accessibility Team, and Atakan Nalbant, Founder and CEO of Binclusive, will be speakers. In the “TRNC Accessible Information Technology Studies” session, Günay Kibrit, President of the Turkish Cypriot Association of Orthopedically Disabled Persons; Ahmet Akdeniz, President of the TRNC Disabled Basketball Federation; Bahire Doğru from the Cyprus Foundation for Hearing and Speech Impaired Persons; Çelen Çağansoy from the Nicosia Turkish Municipality; and Dr. Emirali Evcimen, Director of the Famagusta Special Education and Vocational Training School, will contribute as speakers.

On the second day of the event, Prof. Dr. Yeliz Yeşilada from METU Cyprus will give a presentation titled “Web Accessibility and Usability Workshop”, while Prof. Dr. Mukaddes Sakallı Demirok, Head of the Special Education Department at the Near East University Faculty of Education, will participate in the program with a presentation titled “Empathy Is Not Enough: Is Technological Knowledge Mandatory in Special Education?”