Jointly organised by Slovenian Third Age University and the local Cultural Centre,the 4th International Festival of Knowledge and Culture in lLter Life took place in Šmarje pri Jelšah, a Slovenian country town. Through the day the audience followed the programme staging results of exploratory learning of older people that shape local identity and support the development of cultural tourism all over Slovenia, but also in Croatia and Austria the two neighbouring countries. Old tales of the region were collected and acted out, EU projects proved to have brought new educational and cultural topics into older adult education. The results of My story, 18 summers, RefugeesIn , Silver Code, P3AE were presented. Šmarje pri Jelšah is known for its baroque church etc. Study tours were organised. Was presented also Bread in the past and present, a sociological, economic, political and cultural study of bread, a publication originally prepared by a group of U3A’s students of journalism for the DANET’s project Tastes of the Danube.
Autor: dfindeisen
Now Head of the Institute for research and development of education within Slovenian Third Age University, Dušana Findeisen has been dealing with education of older people in former Yugoslavia, Slovenia and in many European countries since 1984. In 1986 she co/established Slovenan Third Age University together with Prof. Dr. Ana Krajnc from the University of Ljubljana. Her PHD was in the field of education of older people. Within the network of 45 U3A , the Slovenian Third Age University (for 15 years she was its President) she I(co)- introduced a great number of nation wide applied innovations (a national network of cultural mediators in public institutions, education for trainers in the field of education for later life, education for local development, study circles, etc.) She took part in several international research projects. In the framework of UNESCO’s ALPHA project dealing with functional literacy and basic skills she wrote a scenario for a short film “You will have to do it yourself) which was presented at the UNESCO World Conference in Hamburg as an example of good practice). She has been the national coordinator of more than 10 European projects, all in the field of education of older people or related to it. Her recent publications are in the field of intergenerational learning, cultural mediating, and education of older people. She is on the editorial board of the Andragogic Perspectives, a scientific and professional journal of adult education which she co-established together with her colleagues. For five years she was an AGE PLATFORM expert in the field of employment and education of older people. At The University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Philosophy she created a new subject out of her long lasting experience with the Slovenian Third Age University called Socio-cultural animation and education for local development and she also taught Introduction to andragogy and other courses. She has been extensively contributing to shaping several national policies concerning older people and their active ageing.
Has the project The Tastes of the Danube become trully intergenerational?
Ana Kovačič, a thirteen year old girl called on us. She appeared profoundly interested in the project. She was shown around the exhibition Bread in the Past and Present which has recently been opened to the public at Slovenian Third Age University. She said that she was more attracted by the topic of wine than that of bread. Suddenly she went to her rucksack ,pulling out a picture. Allegedly she had never made a painting before.The colours of the picture remind us of some 19th century paintings. We think Ana is very gifted and we gladly accepted her as a member of our project.
Tastes of the Danube. Tatjana Rodošek, student at Slovenian Third Age University awarded.
Ljubljana, 8th November 2016
Association DANET extended a call for projects to various organisations along the Danube. The call yielded results. Slovenian Third Age University contributed its web publication of the study Bread in the past and present and a catalogue of paintings featuring bread. Moreover, recently there was official opening of the exhibition The story of Bread displaying selected paintings and drawings produced by Slovenian Third Age University students and their mentors.
Upon the opening of the exhibition and a short lecture,Tatjana Rodošek, winner of a photo competittion launched in Ulm was awarded for her photo of a little boy getting enthusiastic over a loaf of bread. “It’s mine, it’s mine he cried” said Tatjana.
In May 2016 the University in Reims hold the world conference on “History and Development of the UTA in the world” and hosted participants from the AIUTA International Association. The conference was combined with the AIUTA98th Governing Board meeting and AIUTA General Assembly. During the last year AIUTA approved the application for the membership from National University of the Third Age in Sofia, Bulgaria, From U3A in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, Tomsk State University U3A, Russia and A Coruna Senior University in Spain.
The AIUTA 99th Governing Board meeting and International Conference was organised from 10th to 12th October 2016 in Osaka. The theme of the conference was “U3As Linking the World – Active & Healthy Ageing & Intergenerational Cooperation”.
Program of the conference focused on many different topics with the presentations of Mr. François Vellas on behalf of AIUTA, Mrs. Rhonda Weston on behalf of Asia Pacific Aliance, Mrs. Akiko Tsukatani on behalf of Age Concern Japan and Japan’s U3A Federation, Mrs. Wang Younong & Mrs. Zhong Haoling, China Association of the Universities for the Aged, Mrs. Nadežda Hrapkova, Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovakia, Mr. Hans Kristjan Gudmundsson, U3A Reykjavik; Mrs. Nelly del Forno, U3A Lignano Sabbiadoro Italy;, Mr. Armoogum Parsuramen, U3A Mauritius; Mr. Carlos Santos, Azores University, Portugal and many others. Panel discussion have had the panellists from France, Australia, Mauritius and Slovakia with the facilitator Rhonda Weston (Australia) on“U3A co-operation world-wide“. The organisers from Osaka U3A and Asia Pacific Alliance offered the participants after the conference trip to Kyoto and meeting with the elderly students.
Next AIUTA events:
The 100th AIUTA GB meeting in Bratislava (Slovakia) May 2017; 101st AIUTA GB meeting La Mesa Bogotá (Colombia) November 2017; 102nd AIUTA GB in Barcelona (Spain) June 2018; 103rd AIUTA GB Port Louis (Mauritius) October 2018. Additional proposals for the presentations of AIUTA have been agreed by the president prof. François Vellas for the fair of Seniors Art Expo and Senior Tourism 2016 – 2018. The 100th AIUTA GB meeting is going to be held in Bratislava (Slovakia) at Comenius University on 18th May 2017. The meeting will be combined with the conference on theme “Equal opportunities for learning of the elderly” on 19th May 2017 and cultural trip on 20th May 2017.
PhDr. Nadežda Hrapková, PhD.
AIUTA Deputy Treasurer
News from AIUTA, International Association of U3As
In May 2016 the University of Reims hold the world conference on “History and Development of the U3As in the world” and hosted participants from the AIUTA International Association. The conference was combined with the AIUTA98th Governing Board meeting and AIUTA General Assembly. During the last year AIUTA approved the application for the membership of the National Third Age University, Sofia, of U3A based in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, Tomsk State University U3A, Russia and A Coruna Senior University in Spain.
The AIUTA 99th Governing Board meeting and International Conference was organised from 10th to 12th October 2016 in Osaka. The theme of the conference was “U3As Linking the World – Active & Healthy Ageing & Intergenerational Cooperation”.
The conference programme was focused on a greta number of different topics with the presentations given by Prof. François Vellas on behalf of AIUTA, Mrs. Rhonda Weston on behalf of Asia Pacific Aliance, Mrs. Akiko Tsukatani delivered a presentation on behalf of Age Concern Japan and Japan’s U3A Federation, Mrs. Wang Younong & Mrs. Zhong Haoling, China Association of the Universities for the Aged, Mrs. Nadežda Hrapkova, Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovakia, Mr. Hans Kristjan Gudmundsson, U3A Reykjavik; Mrs. Nelly del Forno, U3A Lignano Sabbiadoro Italy;, Mr. Armoogum Parsuramen, U3A Mauritius; Mr. Carlos Santos, Azores University, Portugal and many others. Panel discussion have had the panellists from France, Australia, Mauritius and Slovakia with the facilitator Rhonda Weston (Australia) on“U3A co-operation world-wide“. The organisers from Osaka U3A and Asia Pacific Alliance offered the participants after the conference trip to Kyoto and meeting with the elderly students.
Next AIUTA events:
The 100th AIUTA GB meeting in Bratislava (Slovakia) will take place in May 2017; 101st AIUTA GB meeting is planned to be in La Mesa Bogotá (Colombia) November 2017; 102nd AIUTA GB in Barcelona (Spain) June 2018; 103rd AIUTA GB Port Louis (Mauritius) October 2018. Additional proposals for the presentations of AIUTA have been agreed by the president Prof. François Vellas for the fair of Seniors Art Expo and Senior Tourism 2016 – 2018. The 100th AIUTA GB meeting is going to be held in Bratislava (Slovakia) at Comenius University on 18th May 2017. The meeting will be combined with the conference on theme “Equal opportunities for learning of the elderly” on 19th May 2017 and cultural trip on 20th May 2017.
Nadežda Hrapková, PhD.
RefugeesIn for better social cohesion and participation
RefugeesIn is being developed as an ERASMUS+ key activity 2 project co-funded by European Union and coordinated by AidLearn, Lisbon.
The project is a natural continuation of the finished CINAGE, European film for active ageing project. In current social circumstances and using the analogy approach, the CINAGE partners got an inspiration for the RefugeesIn.
The analogy could not be clearer since in our societies older people are approached through stereotypes and so are refugees. Stereotypes being handy, developing our own standpoints and attitudes does not seem to be needed since it is so easy to believe and repeat what is told and may be heard around us. It is safe to remain within »the conceptual tunnel« ( cf. Boris Cyrulnik), abiding by what our cultural or social group says, missing checking the validity of the words heard, looking upon refugees through the prism of either negative or positive stereotypes. In the absence of reasonning, we go on nurturing our fear of changes.
Between Europe and the Islamic world- the world of refugees- there has been a rich and complicated history of conquests and defeats, re-conquests and diplomacy, alliances, trading, translating, transferring technology, but also imitating arts and culture. These contacts have impacted the history of European and Muslim nations. The images of certain Islamic heroes spur the imagination of the Europeans, preventing them from understanding the Islamic world which has contributed to Europe’s consolidating its own identity.
What: In the project partners and the target learning audiences will learn how to write scenarios, directi and edit documentary films using archive sources, transmitting the truth stripped of propaganda, passing on the truth, be it only one single truth, the truth of the author of the film.
Methods: partner meetings, focus groups, a course on making documentaries and understanding the refugees’ issues, conferences, round tables, radio programmes, articles on who refugees are and how they get included in our culture and how we get included in theirs.
Project results: a course book, a guide for trainers, documentary films
Contract Number 2016-1-PT01-KA204-022983
Duration: from Niovember the 1st. 2016 to December the 31st 2018
Information:
Maria Helena Antunes
AidLearn, Consultoria em Recursos Humanos, Lda
Rua Frederico George, 31B, 1600-012 Lisboa, Portugal
Karina Sirk, Dušana Findeisen
Slovenska univerza za tretje življenjsko obdobje, združenje za izobraževanje in družbeno vključenost
Poljanska cesta 6, 1000 Ljubljana
Tel. 00386(0)14332090
dusana.findeisen@guest.arnes.si
Danet and EURAG will continue doing their best to keep older people’s issues in focus
Slovenian Federation of Societies of Pensioners hosted the annual EURAG conference in Ljubljana. The topic of the conference was very topical and timely. It was about organisations of older people and for older people and their effectiveness in society. Older people still suffer from socio-economic injustice (in Latvia they have a very low pension in Israel several million people are without any pension) and they suffer from injustice on the cultural and symbolic level (ageism). Nevertheless, in the times of recession and social transformation, older people’s issues and their cooperation with other generations are attracting less attention and our organisations have to be even more vigilant and active to keep focus on older people’s abilities and challenges. Not only older people experience social transformation and therefore EURAG’s (and our) focus is to be shifted towards life span ageing and life span approaches to ageing. Speakers at the conference underlined that older people are not (at least the majority of them) in the need of help. They have a lot to give and this should be made possible through policies and different organisations etc. EURAG particularly appreciates its bonds with Social Platform which is concerned with different social groups.
Continue reading “Danet and EURAG will continue doing their best to keep older people’s issues in focus”
Key Messages From Silver Economy Development Meeting, 8th June 2016
Cross-border collaboration in the eRegions and Slovenian Third Age University
More than seventy participants were present at the meeting. Coming from different background they discussed silver economy, learning, contributory role of older people.
Continue reading “Key Messages From Silver Economy Development Meeting, 8th June 2016”
It is time older people co-shaped silver economy
Silver Economy, Silver Market, Silver Knowledge? Upon the initiative of a retired professor of economics, currently a student of Slovenian U3A, was held at this university a symposium on silver economy. Devoted to network thinking about a topic which is seemingly new, the symposium was attended by participants from diverse backgrounds.
Silver economy is both a new and old topic in the focus of Slovenian Third Age University. Why? Due to ageing society, silver market is predicted to amount up to 5% of the GDP by 2060, so one should better understand what silver economy is all about.
Towards a definition of silver economy
Taking into account their purchasing power and their number (in 2050, in OECD countries their share is expected to be 25 % of the population), older people constitute a potentially important market. Moreover, there is a chance that in the future, silver market becomes one of the most important markets. There will be many investment possibilities for innovating companies and many other companies active in various areas. Far from being a separated sector, silver economy encompasses a number of activities transversally reaching out to the whole production and consumption sector. It is oriented towards both production and distribution of goods and services, meeting the needs of older people. In addition to this, it is about preparing younger generations and their future well being[1]
To get aware of the orientation of the emerging silver economy one does not need to go further than the French Contract on Silver Economy agreed on December the 12th 2013 It says: “Silver economy is about commodities and services that can be conceived in sectors like: accommodation, communication, transport, e-autonomy, safety, health, individual services, distribution (adaptation of packaging etc.), leisure time, work (teleworking), tourism. What about other sectors?
French government defined silver economy as commercial and manufacturing activities of benefit to older people, ameliorating their social participation, improving the quality of their life and well-being, slowing down the loss of autonomy and increasing life expectancy.
Announcement: NECE 2016, a conference in the Danubian region tackles the important issues of migrations, civic education and the future of Europe
NECE 2016 – Networking European Citizenship Education – Conference
“Crossing Borders. Migration and Citizenship Education in Europe”
10-12 November 2016, Zagreb, Croatia (Lisinski Concert Hall)
Against the background of a global refugee crisis deeply affecting the state of the European Union and its neighbours, NECE 2016 will aim at two areas: Firstly, we will look at the ongoing European response to the issue of migration including the divisions within and between European societies. Secondly the conference will discuss how citizenship education should react to the polarised debate and the controversies about migration, diversity and identity which have been triggered by the new wave of migration since summer 2015. There is a clear danger that the “migrants’ revolution” will radically change European politics and the world view of many on the continent towards exclusion and closure. The refugee crisis seems to re-open the gap between the East and the West in Europe and between those who see cosmopolitan values as a threat and those who are struggling to defend these as the core of a new European identity (Ivan Krastev).
Inspirational practice
Take tools in Hands«
(fr. Outils en mains) develops manual skills and keeps crafts alive. It also unites generations. Would you know retired craftsmen in the Danube region who would be ready and proud to transfer their knowledge onto young generations? Young people do not know that hats or shoes, or bread can be made with their own hands, that linen can be woven at home. On the other hand qualified craftsman work is ever more needed, particularly in the industries of luxury.
6th Danube eRegion Conference – DeRC 2016: Cross-border eSolutions & eServices Prototypes Development
Your are kindly invited to the 6th eRegions Conference 2016: Cross-border eSolutions & eServices Prototypes Development, Monday-Tuesday, September 19-20, 2016,
Location: Castle Jable, Grajska cesta 1, 1234 Mengeš, Slovenia. One of the panels will be about Silvery Economy and co-chaired by Prof. Ana Krajnc ( Slovenia) and Prof. Francois Vellas (France).
In addition, in the coming days, in June 2016 a national symposium will be held on the same topic at Slovenian Third Age University focusing on the older people’s contributory role within silver economy Active ageing in relation to silver econnomy will be in focus. More: http://eregion.eu/conferences/derc-2016/derc-2016-program/
Personal report from Dusana Findeisen: Danube Networkers for Europe (DANET) As Social Capital Changing Older People’s Social Engagement and Integration Along the Danube , EURAG Conference
The topic of this conference are organisations and their social effectivness
(1) Why organisations of older people, for older people or mixed organisations are needed? Do they produce social changes?
Why these organisations are needed and do they make a difference?
Well, they do make a difference in the lives of individual older people and the lives of their family members, they do make a difference in local communities. Our empirical research studies have shown it. But do our organisations change society?