Chopin Airport received recognition in the “Service facility” category
The Integration Foundation and the Society of Polish Town Planners held an event at the Presidential Palace to commend “Accessibility Leaders” – award winners in the Second Architectural and Urban Planning Contest, promoting convenient and accessible architectural solutions. Chopin Airport received recognition in the “Service facility” category. The director of ‘Polish Airports’ State Enterprise and Warsaw Chopin Airport, Mr Mariusz Szpikowski, accepted the award on behalf of the airport from the hands of the President of Poland, Mr Andrzej Duda.
The “Accessibility Leaders” contest promotes best architectural and urban planning solutions recognizing the needs of persons with different disabilities. The organizers emphasize the importance of the universal design approach, guaranteeing accessibility to all users – persons with disabilities, the elderly or families with small kids. „As the airport operator, we are greatly honoured to be recognized by such a distinguished group. We would like to be perceived not only as a facility accessible to our guests, our passengers. Our ambition is to be among top disabled-friendly employers,” declared Mr Szpikowski. „Over the recent years we have seen major progress with regard to accessibility. A decade or so ago we fought for basic improvements, whereas today we recognize facilities, where persons with disabilities are treated equally and all users are welcome,” said Mr Piotr Pawłowski, the president of the Integration Foundation. “Accessibility is reached by small steps and it takes years. We are looking at a new approach in architecture, a one that brings people together,” added Mr Pawłowski. President Andrzej Duda, the honorary patron of the event, expressed a view that accessibility and removal of barriers are important features of modern thinking. “By removing barriers, which make everyday activities difficult for persons with disabilities, we promote fair treatment and strengthen social solidarity, which brings us closer together as a community. And at the same time we are modernizing Poland. Because modern thinking means not only better, faster, more efficiently. It also means empathy, openness to others, attention to areas and aspects of social reality that were previously omitted. There is no modern reality, without inclusion,” stressed the President. Warsaw Chopin Airport tis the biggest airport in Poland. In 2016 the airport handled 12.8 million passengers, 14.4% more than in 2015. The airport is operated by ‘Polish Airports’ State Enterprise, a company employing more than 1.5 thousand people.