Lviv is a city with a unique face, history and rhythm of life. It is open to change and is already taking real steps towards creating a barrier-free environment. It was here that we were able to feel again how important our primary mission remains - to create an inclusive space accessible to all. A space that is designed to meet the needs of people with different levels of mobility and peculiarities of perception of the world around them.

We are a team of like-minded people from the Luhansk region. Each and every one of us was forced to leave our homes because of the war. For most of us, this is the second displacement. But we have not lost our expertise or our motivation to work for the public good. Today, we share our experience where we have been sheltered. And it is especially important for us that our work benefits the communities that have opened their doors to displaced people, supported them and enabled them to continue their business.

It was critical for our team to return to a familiar and important topic - monitoring and evaluating the accessibility of the physical environment and services for people with disabilities. Lviv Regional Council became a key partner in this process. Thanks to their openness and willingness to cooperate, we have started surveying a number of facilities: medical institutions, administrative buildings, cultural spaces, including the Lviv Philharmonic.

We especially appreciate the cooperation with the leadership and staff of the Lviv Regional Council for their openness, willingness to listen and hear, and desire for positive change. They are able to recognise the existence of barriers and have the courage to work to remove them. It is truly inspiring when the government not only declares but acts together with the public. We are grateful for the partnership, acceptance and trust.

It is important to emphasise that this is not just monitoring for the sake of monitoring. All partners share a common vision: we will not stop at recording problems, but will jointly look for solutions. Together, we are ready to accumulate resources, attract support and take concrete steps towards changes that people will really feel.

Sofia Brehm, an architect, physical accessibility specialist at Big City Lab, chief architect and developer of the Album of Barrier-Free Solutions, has joined our team. Her professional vision, subtle sense of space, and deep understanding of inclusive design principles have become an invaluable contribution to our work together. We are sincerely grateful to Sofia for her professionalism, sincerity and shared values that unite us in our pursuit of an accessible environment.

The participation of our friends, the defenders, who are currently undergoing rehabilitation after being wounded, was especially valuable. The guys have become important partners in this work. Although they are not technical experts, their experience of daily use of public space after amputations opens up an extremely important perspective. Their observations, advice and comments - sincere, accurate and real - help us to better understand where the barriers actually occur. Their participation is not about theoretical standards, but about the reality that needs to be taken into account.

The team also included representatives of the Lviv branches of the Ukrainian Association of Women's Rights and the Ukrainian Union of Women's Rights Advocates, organisations that have been working to protect human rights for many years. Their expert opinion allows us to assess accessibility in a comprehensive manner, taking into account sensory barriers that often remain invisible to the majority.

We believe that together we can make Lviv region truly accessible - not only in the physical dimension, but also in terms of opportunities, culture, and vision of an inclusive future.