Duitse minister opent Europees jaar van actief ouder worden en solidariteit tussen generaties (en)

Federal Minister of Family Affairs Kristina Schröder launched on February 6th in Berlin the European Year on Active Ageing and Intergenerational Solidarity 2012 in Germany.

More than 250 participants attended the event to discuss the challenges and opportunities of demographic change for the elderly and the cohesion of society.

"With active aging one cannot start soon enough. We must stop thinking that there is a ‘we’ and the ‘elderly’. The new ‘we’ has no age limit”, remarked the minister. “‘We’ are those who want to shape the society and have responsibility, those who want to help and need help”.

“Active aging means to design ones live in own responsibility and thereby to combine family responsibilities with professional responsibility and civic engagement. We must give people the opportunity!”, said Kristina Schröder.

Throughout the year, 46 projects all over Germany will deepen the focus in the areas and objectives of the EY2012.

Topics include the participation of older people in work and civil society, reducing age-related stereotypes, improving the quality of life of the elder and solidarity between generations.

The projects will help to perceive appropriately the potential of older people as a productive asset for societies. Efficiency, creativity and innovation do not disappear beyond mid-life.

The Federal Ministry for Family Affairs has allocated 890,000 € for the successful implementation of the European Year 2012 national activities in Germany.