Em 2050 espera-se que quase 70% da população mundial viva em áreas urbanas. A Comissão Europeia projeta que, até 2070, 30,3% da população terá 65 anos ou mais (em comparação com 20,3% em 2019) e 13,2% terão 80 anos ou mais (em comparação com 5,8% em 2019). Os fenómenos de urbanização e o envelhecimento estão interligados. As cidades saudáveis são um imperativo no sentido de assegurar o melhor bem-estar possível ao longo do ciclo de vida, quer em termos de saúde física, psíquica e social.

A pandemia causada pela Covid-19 está a ser um alerta importantíssimo para demonstrar a vulnerabilidade das pessoas mais velhas em contexto urbano e a importância de termos um bom planeamento das cidades, de modo a reduzir os impactos da solidão e do isolamento social.

Esta primeira sessão temática do Simpósio InterAções começará por abordar o tema das cidades amigas das pessoas mais velhas, enquadrando o envelhecimento numa perspetiva de ciclo de vida.

As became evident throughout the thematic sessions of our InterAcçoes symposium, the challenges of building a society for all ages are multidimensional, interdependent and without obvious or easy solutions. The complexity and diversity of issues and areas of action related to longevity and ageing requires that we strive to overcome sectoral and disciplinary divisions, seeking, in fact, to put into practice intersectoral, multidisciplinary and integrated approaches, adapted to the reality of the territories. This is also the understanding of the European Commission in promoting a broad policy debate on ageing in order to discuss options on how to anticipate and respond to the challenges and opportunities of A Society for All Ages.

In the 18th and last session of the InterAcções Symposium, we will witness the closing session’s conclusions by the Minister of Labour, Solidarity and Social Security Ana Mendes Godinho and as well as the final remarks made by the President of SCML, Edmundo Martinho and Petra Goran from the Secretariat General of the European Commission will also join us, presenting the Green Paper on Ageing and the impulse it intends to give to further reflection and a wide debate in that area, considering the specificity of each member state.

If one of the major objectives of ageing in place is to bring people more and more closer to the social and community context in which they live, then the proximity social responses that aim to promote the intergenerational dynamics, the experience of the public space and the polis, and increase our participation and involvement in decision-making processes throughout the life cycle, than everyone (citizens, professionals, organizations and institutions) should reflect, discuss and rethink the way we are developing the proximity social responses and whether we all see them as appropriate responses to our aspirations, expectations and potential.

The 17th Session of the InterAções Symposium seeks to reflect on how to innovate, invest and adapt proximity social responses so that they become true drivers of intergenerational relations, participation and citizenship.

Education and training in the area of longevity and aging are fundamental pillars in the preparation of professionals in the most diverse areas of knowledge. If we are facing a civilizational challenge that crosses all areas of life in society, then education and training should follow the same logic and be transversal to the training of professionals from social sciences to health, from biological sciences to engineering/technology, from human sciences to linguistics, from arts and culture. Only a competent education and training will enable professionals to be aware, involved, and committed to the affirmation of a “society for all ages”, preventing infantilization, idadism, and a paternalistic attitude that is too often present in the relationship between professionals and older people.

The 16th Session of the InterAções Symposium seeks to reflect on the role of education, training and research in deepening knowledge and preparing competent and skilled professionals in a society for all ages.