Ladies and gentlemen,

Bruges, Cultural Capital of Europe, an ambitious title with great repercussions. The programme offers a whole array of projects. From exhibitions to a festival of sounds, from intimate concerts to crowd-pullers, from dance to film, Bruges 2002 will be a cultural feast! Yet, we are convinced that the success can only be complete if the whole population can join in, if the doors are literally and figuratively open to everyone.

This accessibility guide has to be seen from this democratic point of view. Just like the voluntary workers, the Municipal Board for Persons with a Handicap of the City of Bruges and with the support of Mrs Lieve Mus, alderwoman for social assistance in the City of Bruges, the city invested a lot of time and energy in this project. For persons with a motor, visual or hearing impairment, this guide contains a wealth of information. It gives objective information about the accessibility of public and private buildings. Moreover, this guide can sensitize the population and add to the positive image of Bruges 2002, Cultural Capital of Europe.

Bruges 2002 is a perfect opportunity for this kind of initiative, but 2002 will also have a lasting effect. In the future, the City Council wants to make Bruges literally and figuratively more accessible. For the restoration works at the Municipal Theatre, the construction of several new multi-purpose halls and of course the new Concert Hall, the needs of the less mobile visitors will be met. Indeed, Bruges is a city every inhabitant and every visitor must be able to experience.

Patrick MOENAERT Burgomaster of Bruges

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