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 12^th 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.

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.

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?

Continue reading “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” →

It is intended to make known the results of all these activities on the International Conference “Tastes of Danube- Let’s taste it” which will take place in Ulm the 8th of July 2016 in the frame of the 10th International Danube Festival Ulm/Neu-Ulm. This Conference will be connected with the public action “Danube-Breakfast. Share your bread with Danube-Neighbours” the 10th of July in the morning on the Herdbrьcke (bridge) which connects Ulm and Neu-Ulm, .by the Danube!

Save the date! Representatives of all active project groups will be invited to take part! For representatives of groups especially active in this project there will be stipendiums!

Belgrade 22^nd– 23^rd April 2916

Members of the DANET – board (Carmen Stadelhofer, Germany; Dusana Findeisen, Slovenia; Ana Zlibut, Romania; Tihomir Ziljak, Croatia; Emiliya Velikova and Mariella Nankova, Bulgaria) met in the „Institute for the Study of Cultural Development“ in Belgrade ( Marina Lukic Cvetic ,directoress, and Dejan Zagorac researcher).  The DANET board members were supported by Lidija Jevremovic, National Foundation for Human Aging Dr. Laza Lazarevic. The DANET Board members started by reporting on the work done in Bulgaria, Romania, Croatia, Germany and Slovenia over the last months. Their report was on the institutions visited, decisions makers approached, events launched and the results obtained in each country. The progress report on the project Tastes of the Danube (DANET and ILEU) was presented. Plans for the coming  projects Breakfast on the Danube and Bread on Tour were elaborated. The Board members were invited to Heinrich Boel Foundation in Belgrade to present and promote DANET. There was also a friendly evening, a warm meeting of Danubian friends sharing a lot: common goals, information, knowledge, common and particular culture as well. The evening was organised for the DANET Board members, local partner institutions and a group of interested older people from Germany. Tamara, an archaeologist presented excavations near Vinca where bread from the 12^th century was found which is a rare example of gastronomy-heritology.

Carmen Stadelhofer introducing the friendly evening

Dušana Findeisen, Slovenian Third Age University

Collection of bread stamps and collection of memories about the use of bread stamps in families in the different countries/localities. More: http://tastes-of-danube.eu/bread-stamps-first-call/

Collection of postal stamps from the Danube countries which have in some way bread, wine or herbs as design. Please be so kind and send photos or scans (if possible as jpg files with max. size of 500 kb) to wolfgang@doster.de. See: http://tastes-of-danube.eu/stamps/