COUNCIL OF EUROPEAN
MUNICIPALITIES AND REGIONS
• COUNCIL OF EUROPEAN
MUNICIPALITIES AND
REGIONS?
• OUR ACTIVITIES AND
POSITIONS ON
INTERGENERATIONAL
DIALOGUE
• Who we are
• How we work
• Where we come from
• What we do
world level
European level
UCLG
CEMR
national level
55 assocations of local and
regional governments (ex.
Union of Municipalities of
Turkey)
local and regional level
100.000 municipalities, cities, provinces,
regions...
• Who we are
• How we work
• Where we come from
• What we do
President
Wolfgang Schuster
Policy
Committee
Executive
Bureau
Secretariat
General
• Who we are
• How we work
• Where we come from
• What we do
50s
60s
70s
80s
90s
2000
• Who we are
• How we work
• Where we come from
• What we do
• Influence European law and policy in the
fields of competence of local authorities
• Promote good practices and exchange
experiences at local and regional level
• COUNCIL OF EUROPEAN
MUNICIPALITIES AND
REGIONS?
• OUR ACTIVITIES AND
POSITIONS ON
INTERGENERATIONAL
DIALOGUE
CEMR thematic network
“Intergenerational dialogue”
• What? a network of municipalities with great
experience in this field (as identified by CEMR
national associations) – from 10 countries
• What for? To allow local representatives and
experts to exchange on Intergenerational
dialogue issues and active ageing and to
make recommendations for future EU policies
Participation to the EY2012 Coalition
• What? a network of 40 organizations (including
CEMR)
• What for? To coordinate actions and exchange best
practices.
- CEMR feeds the Coalition’s work with examples of
best practices from its members.
- CEMR spreads information to its members on
European-scale events and activities.
Active ageing and twinning
• CEMR studies on Citizenship issues:
• 2010: seminars in Estonia, Malta, Germany on
what Town twinning and European citizenship are
and mean
• 2011: launch of a large-scale online consultation
on the same issues (respondents: general public)
• Automn 2011: Congress on Citizenship and
Twinning organised in Rybnik, Poland
 CEMR’s White Paper for an active
European citizenship
White Paper for an active European
Citizenship
• CEMR’s position paper on all Citizenship
issues - > includes an important focus on
“An Intergenerational society for cohesive
development”
• Young and elderly people suffer similar difficulties:
stereotypes, lack of consideration and a difficult
access to the employment market
• Intergenerational dialogue = essential for passing
on knowledge, values and memory
White Paper for an active European
Citizenship
• Local & regional authorities = an important
role to play in promoting a mix-aged society
• They can organize activities which include young
and old generations and develop the active
participation of all in society
(e.g. discussion panels on topics affecting the quality of life of
citizens of all ages, coaching sessions to give students practice
with job interview…)
White Paper for an active European
Citizenship
• Local & regional authorities = an important
role to play in promoting a mix-aged society
• Town twinning = a particularly efficient tool to
foster joint activities involving young and senior
citizens
White Paper for an active European
Citizenship
• Local & regional authorities = an important
role to play in promoting a mix-aged society
• Town twinning = a particularly efficient tool to
foster joint activities involving young and senior
citizens
• One example of the good practices highlighted in
CEMR’s “Twinning practical handbook”…
Intergenerational dialogue in
Twinning
• Twin towns: Vlist (Netherlands) – Bac (Serbia)
“Renovating a new centre for older people”
• Project: create a new retirement community for
elderly people in the town of Bac
• Vlist civil servants lend their technical expertise to
Bac municipality to support and improve the
quality of life of older people (struggle against
poverty, improving conditions, provide adequate
access to employment / volunteering activities)
Intergenerational dialogue in
Twinning
• Twin towns: Vlist (Netherlands) – Bac (Serbia)
“Renovating a new centre for older people”
• Media campaign in Bac to recruit volunteers 
objective: involve young people to get involved in
an activity that would help them gain new skills
and feel more involved in their own community.
Thank you for your attention!
Paldies!