München viert succes Europees Jaar van actief ouder worden en solidariteit tussen generaties (en)

© Fabian Riedl

The City of Munich held on January 17th a big farewell party to the European Year 2012, in which it was actively involved with a special programme including 200 different events, from lectures to courses, excursions and concerts.

Hosted by the town’s Deputy Mayor, Christine Strobl, the celebration was also a way to honour and give thanks to all the people, entities and associations involved in the successful organisation of the EY2012 in Munich.

"Thanks to the European Year, the city had the opportunity to show the diversity and the positive aspects of ageing, to create awareness and promote volunteering and the active participation of older people in society, as well as improving relations between generations. Our goals have been reached", said Ms. Strobl.

The party, held in the Town Hall, included the awards ceremony of the Best Intergenerational Project competition. The winners are:

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  Gastfreunde München (Guest Friends Munich) - Women and men who are not longer working help young students from all over the world to feel good and to manage their time in Munich.
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  Starke Helfer (Strong Helpers) - Four young immigrants between 20 and 22 years old visit every Sunday afternoon an old people´s retirement home and spend some time talking and walking with its residents.
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  Generationen im Austausch (Generations Exchange) - Children and elderly people have worked together in a project which involved little expeditions in the town to talk about how it was living in Munich many years ago and how it is to live nowadays.

At the end of the event some senior citizens performed in front of the audience and showed their skills: an old actress read poems from Erich Kästner, an old dancer (81 years) tap-danced, and a choir of old men and women sang some famous songs.