In Belgrade, the presentation of the „Community of good NEIGHBOURS” was followed by a discussion on how to age with dignity
The municipality Old Town (Serb. Gradska opština stari grad) has been practicing regular face to face consulting with the townspeople regarding their common issues. Different professionals, social workers specialised in working with older people and older people themselves have recognised this municipality as a positive model of a socially responsible municipality. Following the initiative given by Dr- Laza Lazarević National Foundation for Human Aging the municipality decided to support the project titled „Creating a community of good neighbours”. Neighbours used to be extremely important and valued in Serbia, thus the project is culturally embedded and will, no doubt, be successful.
The project has united the efforts of five experts in adult education sciences and those of a German expert Elvira Barbara Savade, President of the Association Senior Experten Service. To begin with the project was focused on 40 buildings and totalled 400 direct participants. The Community of good neighbours currently encompasses thirty cultural, educational, scientific, health and social institutions as well as some socially responsible companies. Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts will be supporting the project in its own way as well.
The model of the “Community of good neighbours” was presented in the Festivity Hall of the Old Town Municipality. Elvira Barbara Savade introduced the audience to the German model of human and dignified ageing as well as the BAGSO’s activities while Simeon Babić, the director of the Dr. Laza Lazarević Foundation for Human Aging contributed an overview of the cooperation with German organisations and possibilities of applying the model of “Community of good neighbours” to the Old Town Municipality. Present were also presidents of the building councils who expressed their readiness to be active members of the project. The first phase of the project is to last for six months.
Source: Lidija Jevremović, nacionalnifond@open.telekom.rs
