Older people are a large and fast-growing part of the EU population. They are the main actors in the demographic transition. In order to ensure that older people fully engage in society and live a healthy and active later life, what strategies and activities are taking place locally? What initiatives are being pursued to foster social cohesion through intergenerational learning? How can older learners be kept active and fully engaged?

This panel will address these issues through a mix of guest experts and the sharing of stories and practices from the EPALE community.

Dina Soeiro is a professor at Coimbra Higher Education School – Polytechnic Institute of Coimbra, where she teaches Adult Education and Educational Gerontology using an on-Service Learning approach. As an EAEA Board member since 2019, she uses her voice to advocate for non-formal adult education in Europe. She contributes to the provision of equal learning opportunities for the elderly, enhances intergenerational learning and promotes awareness of the importance of adult learning and education at an advanced age.

Dagmar Hirche has held leading positions in the service industry for 40 years and has been chairwoman of the NGO she co-founded, Wege aus der Einsamkeit e.V. She demands that digital education not stop with older people and advocates for digital participation being a matter of course for people over 65. She has received several awards for her social commitment such as LinkedIn Top Voices DACH 2020. Her motto is: “The glass is always half full and never completely empty”.

Iveta Cirule is co-founder and a Board Member of the non-governmental organisation Project Net focusing on education challenges, with particular regards to adult and life-long education. Since 2019 she has been the founder and promoter of social innovation initiatives at the Senior University in Latvia. Her motto “Turn ideas into action” epitomises her philosophy for all the activities she undertakes!