There was a conference on social innovation in Brussels. Social innovation means that you try to find solutions to challenges that affect all society. Disability issues affect all society.

Innovation might help us to tackle challenges like social exclusion. That was the key message at the conference on social innovation held in Brussels in 16 and 17 March. At the opening conference, the European Commission President Barroso declared: "this issue should not be just a thing for respectable Think Tanks, but for concrete consequences in policy making and policy outcomes."

The concept of social innovation has usually been linked to science, business and research, but is actually something broader. It means using creativity to find strategies for rapidly changing realities shaped by globalisation, technological progress, ageing societies and help those who have difficulties coping with these changes. It also means bringing people, institutions, social organizations and private companies together to tackle social issues.

Social innovation is focused on action on the ground. Improving the situation of people with disabilities is one of the battle fields. During the conference Vickie Cammack, the co-founder of Planned Lifetime Advocacy Network (PLAN), presented a successful example of social innovation on helping people with disabilities. The project aimed at fighting against the isolation of people with disabilities and their families by strengthening social networks.

The conference was used as a sort of forum and meeting point for social innovators; a crossroads of people working in different projects, but under the same roof: the use of social innovation to find new answers to current problems.

Filippo Addarii, Executive Director the European network of third sector leaders, considered the use of social innovation as a way to "operationalize (social) aspirations and rethink the European dream". Allowing networking and eliminating barriers might ensure the spreading of innovative ideas across Europe.