DON’T AGE, ENGAGE!: THREE EUROPEAN DAYS IN APULIA DEDICATED TO ACTIVE AGEING
Sport, wellbeing, participation and social connections at the heart of the international mobility hosted by Sinergia within the Erasmus+ project “Don’t Age, Engage!”
The international mobility of the Erasmus+ project “Don’t Age, Engage!” has come to an end, bringing together older adults and organisations from Italy, Portugal and Türkiye for three days of activities in Apulia focused on active ageing, wellbeing and social participation.
Hosted by Sinergia, the mobility was above all an opportunity to put into practice a vision of longevity that places people, their abilities, relationships and their right to remain active members of their communities at the centre.
Through physical activities, workshops, group discussions and informal opportunities for socialising, participants explored the different dimensions of active ageing, looking at physical activity and sport not only as tools for physical and mental wellbeing, but also as opportunities to build relationships, prevent social isolation and strengthen confidence, autonomy and participation.
One of the most significant moments of the mobility was the participation, on 22 September, in “Puglia 65+ – A Region that Values Longevity”, an event organised by the Apulia Region as part of the Fiera del Levante. This provided an important opportunity to connect the European dimension of the project with policies and experiences developed at regional level and, above all, to give older adults a direct voice. Italian and Portuguese participants shared their experiences and reflections on the value of participation and active ageing.
The mobility confirmed a principle that increasingly guides Sinergia’s initiatives involving older adults: longevity should not be viewed only in terms of needs and vulnerabilities, but also as a valuable form of social capital for our communities.
Experience, skills, memories, time and the ability to build relationships are valuable resources that can benefit the wider community, including through volunteering, active citizenship and intergenerational exchange.
The three days also demonstrated how the European dimension can contribute to this process. Meeting people from different countries, communicating beyond language barriers, sharing activities, smiles, experiences and everyday moments transformed the mobility into a space for mutual learning and the creation of new relationships.
“Don’t Age, Engage!” is rooted precisely in this perspective: not simply adding years to life, but creating the conditions for those years to continue to be lived through wellbeing, relationships, curiosity, movement and participation.
The project will continue through cooperation between partner organisations from Italy, Portugal and Türkiye, building on the experiences developed during the mobility and promoting new opportunities for older adults to continue learning, participating and actively contributing to the life of their communities.
Because active ageing means continuing to feel part of a community, having something to share and knowing that there are still new experiences to live.
