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.