Every country in Europe is faced with rapid demographic ageing which is beginning to create tensions between the generations and obliges us to review the way in which our societies function. In recent years, the political debate has essentially focused on the problems associated with funding pensions in the long-term with an ever-increasing number of retirees to be supported by an ever-shrinking labour pool and the expected explosion in health-care demands when the baby-boomer generation, the 50-65 year-olds of today, become dependent in old age.
Solidarity between the young, the active and the elderly must not be approached solely from a financial perspective, but must be viewed in a wider way, encompassing the promotion of mutual cooperation and exchange between the generations. It must encourage a better mutual understanding of the needs and expectation of other age groups and explore new forms of coexistence. The way in which our society is organised must be reviewed completely in order to rebuild the social fabric and the links between and within the different generations so that all can find the place that suits them where they can flourish and make their contribution to the general well-being as best they can.
AGE welcomes the launch of the 1st European Day of Intergenerational Solidarity on 29 April 2009 and is happy to present its views on how greater solidarity and cooperation between generations can be promoted at local, national and European level. This brochure has been produced by AGE with the support of the European PROGRESS programme and the King Baudouin Foundation. It is available in English, French and Dutch.
