Imserso Instituto de Mayores y Servicios Sociales

• Presentation
• Objectives
• The main thematic areas to be addressed will be
• Commmittees

[Spanish version] 

[Deutsch version]

Presentation

Dear colleagues and friends of EURAG,

It is our honour and great pleasure to announce that 46 years after its creation EURAG, the European Federation of Older Persons, will hold its XIX. International Congress from 6 to 8 November 2008 in the beautiful historical city of León in Spain. The congress is kindly hosted and supported by the Spanish Ministry of Education, Social Policy and Sport.

By choosing the topic "Shaping the future - through effective participation of all ages" we want to address an issue of central importance for the destiny of our continent, our political culture and the well-being of the generations to come. Together with eminent scientists, civil society activists and policy makers we want to reflect about the most appropriate ways and means to promote a more democratic and participatory society in which nobody is left behind and all can effectively contribute to, older persons as well as young persons.

In our understanding "a society for all ages" as promoted by the United Nations and acknowledged as a major goal by governments can only flourish on the grounds of full mutual respect of all people, the recognition that all can and should contribute to the common good according to their capacities and the implementation of new concepts of participatory democracy.

Such a "participatory democracy" is about much more than exercising the right to vote once in a while or to be consulted when things become politically difficult. Effective participation starts with broad involvement of people at the local level in all areas of public interest and cumulates in improved, participatory, transparent and accountable governance at national and European levels. We, from the older generation, have a lot to contribute to make this happen and we want to live up to this responsibility.

Thus We most cordially invite you to this important event which gives you the opportunity to contribute to the shaping of the future of society by sharing your rich personal experience and, at the same time, to benefit from the ideas and the experiences of others who are equally committed to the effective participation of all ages. You will see from the programme the manifold possibilities of enriching yourself which this congress offers to you.

We very much look forward to the great pleasure of seeing you as a participant at our EURAG International Congress in León later this year.

Amparo Valcarce, Secretary of State for Social Policy

Gisli Páll Pálsson, President of EURAG

Objectives

By choosing “Participation” as the theme EURAG intends to contribute substantially to the current debates at all levels on how to better involve people of all ages in reflections on challenges which society has to find answers to.

Participation of all generations living together in policy formulation processes and in the implementation of important social, educational and economic decisions is a key requirement in order to make the future of European society more people-friendly and responsive to the needs of all members of society.

The main thematic areas to be addressed will be

• The concept of participatory democracy
• The role and perception of older people in European society
• People participating at local level

Commmittees

Honorary Committee

José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero
President of the Government of Spain

Mercedes Cabrera Calvo-Sotelo
Minister of Education, Social Policy and Sport, Spain

Amparo Valcarce García
Secretary of State for Social Policy - Ministry of Education, Social Policy and Sport, Spain

Octavio Granado Martínez
Secretary of State for Social Security - Ministry of Labour and Immigration, Spain

Francisco Fernández Álvarez
Mayor of Leon, Spain

Gísli Páll Pálsson
EURAG Chairman, Iceland

Organisation Committee

Gísli Páll Pálsson
EURAG Chairman, Iceland

Jaap van der Spek
Secretary General of EURAG, Holland

Pilar Rodríguez Rodríguez
Imserso's General Director, Spain

Ignacio Robles García
Secretary General of Imserso, Spain

Susana Viñuela Alvarez
Consultant to the Secretary of State for Social Policy, Spain

M. Luz Cid Ruiz
Studies Coordinator and Technical Support to Secretary General of Imserso, Spain

Esther López Martín-Berdinos
Area Manager of Specialised Training for Imserso, Spain

Programme Committee

Dirk Jarré
EURAG Representative in the EU, Germany

Eveline Höningsperger
EURAG Representative, Austria

Cesare Palenzona
EURAG Representative, Italy

John Ball
EURAG Representative, United Kingdom

Irena Levicnik
EURAG Representative, Slovenia

Elfriede Böhm-Peterla
EURAG Representative, Austria

Antonio Martínez Maroto
Area Manager of the Imserso Gerontology Plan, Spain

Manuel Montero Rey
International Service Manager of Imserso, Spain

Javier del Castillo Pintado
Senior Technician, International Area, Imserso, Spain

Luis Martín Pindado
Second Vice-Chairman of the Imserso National Council for the Elderly