Handicap.02 was a charitable organisation which, for the first time in Switzerland, united all the circles working in the field of disability with a common goal: to take into account the needs of the entire Swiss population in the conception and realisation of Expo.02.

Handicap.02 was founded on the initiative of the Lions Club of Neuchâtel on 14 June 1997. Handicap.02 included 34 organisations working in the field of the disabled and the elderly with a total of 150,000 members.

Handicap.02 represented the interests of 650,000 disabled people and around 200,000 potential visitors with some form of physical, mental, spiritual or sensory impairment.
To enable disabled or elderly people to fully experience Expo.02 and visit the national exhibition without barriers, Handicap.02 had implemented the following projects:

Disabled-friendly construction and public transport

Architects and engineers engaged by Handicap.02 monitored the construction of the Arteplage infrastructures and exhibition projects to ensure that all exhibitions, accommodation, restaurants, parks, facilities and public transport were accessible to disabled and elderly people.

Accompanying disabled and elderly people

The aim of this service was to enable disabled or elderly people to visit the national exhibition without barriers and to participate in the Expo.02 festival.

Handicap sports at Expo.02

This project was intended to integrate disabled people into society through popular sport. On the Arteplage Yverdon-les-Bains on 08.09.2002, Handicap.02 organised the Freewheels, a popular race whose purpose was to raise funds for disadvantaged young people.

Handicap.02 also participated in the ExpoGames.02 on the Arteplage Yverdon-les-Bains and Arteplage Biel-Bienne from 08.07.2002 to 18.08.2002.

Project management
Daniel Nussbaum, Director
Pierre Weiss, Project Manager Alpha.02
David Piccirilli, Assistant
Françoise Jeanneret, Secretariat

Guides
Patrick Ballaman, Monika Link