Update on the European Year 2012 Active Ageing and Solidarity between Generations
uropean year2012 leaves lasting legacy as Ireland enters EU Presidency: on 13 December, the closing ceremony for the European Year 2012 provided a forum for identifying how to keep active ageing and solidarity between generations on the national agenda, while encouraging dialogue on related issues of policy and research.
Kathleen Lynch, Minister of State for Disability, Equality, Mental Health and Older People, highlighted what has been achieved during the Year and the way forward. She states that the Year has ‘consolidated a fresh perspective on ageing, which sees the later years as a time of new beginnings and of new possibilities, as a time for active citizenship, for participation, for learning new skills, developing new hobbies and interests and even finding hidden talents’.
The event also reviewed some of the activities and achievements from the Year.
Closing Event in Germany: the German Federal Association of Senior Citizens' Organisations (BAGSO) and the Research Association for Gerontology at the University of Technology Dortmund underlined the positive outcome of the European Year during the National Closing Ceremony, which was held on December 10th in Berlin. As highlighted in the ceremony, a total of 45 different EY2012-related projects have been funded by the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth. In addition, countless initiatives have been launched country wide: more than 400 entries were registered on the national website's calendar of events and more than 200 projects. Furthermore, 1,000 media articles and audiovisual broadcasts have helped spread the Year’s messages.
Prior to the closing ceremony representatives of the 45 funded projects came together in three workshops to exchange experiences and analyse sustainable strategies about topics such as civic engagement of elderly people, intergenerational communication and active ageing. The results were presented and discussed afterwards in the plenum by representatives of the civil society, academia, local authorities and the European Commission.
For more information on closing events and other initiatives:
