The European Year for Active Ageing and Solidarity between Generations 2012 was launched in Romania on March 1st and 2nd. Famous Romanian athletes Iolanda Balaș Söter and historian Neagu Djuvara spoke at the event about staying active in older age. Djuvara, who was 96 years old at the time, recommended further engaging retired seniors in society and shared that his secret to active aging was swimming weekly, teaching, writing books, and staying socially and culturally involved. The national conference on March 2nd focused on combating ageism and recognizing the valuable role of elderly people.

1. Famous active agers launch the European
Year 2012 in Romania
The National College C.Bratescu,
Constanta,Romania

2.  The launch of the European Year for Active
Ageing and Solidarity between Generations
2012 in Romania took place in Bucharest on
March 1st and 2nd.
 As explained by Nicolae Idu, Head of the EC
Representation in Romania, in his opening
speech, the date of the event was chosen on
purpose because “March 1st, or Mărțișor, is a
traditional Romanian celebration marking the
beginning of spring.”

3.  The host of the event was TV celebrity
Cătălin Ștefănescu, who introduced two
other famous speakers: Iolanda Balaş
Söter (born in 1936), Olympic champion
and high jump world record holder, now
the president of the Athletics Now
Foundation, and Neagu Djuvara (born
in 1916), historian, essayist,
philosopher, journalist, novelist and
diplomat.

4.  Mrs. Balaș Söter, one of the Romanian
National Ambassadors for this European
Year, reminded the audience that “doing
sports is very beneficial, extremely at an older
age. We have a very representative example,
Elena Pagu, who won, in 2009, at the age of
83, the golden metal at the 5 km run at the
2009 World Masters Athletics Championships
(Lahti, Finland).”

5.  Neagu Djuvara couldn’t be present at the event, but
he sent some inspirational words in a video.
Interviewed by Gabriel Basarabescu, he spoke about
solidarity between generations and recommended
European authorities to tackle during the EY 2012 the
issue of “retirement”, as there should be further plans
for seniors who are highly capable to be active and
valuable parts of the society. “What is your secret for
active ageing?” he was asked. His answer: going
swimming once a week, teach at the Bucharest
University, write book after book and be strongly
involved in the Romanian social and cultural life.

6.  On March 2nd the National Conference for launching the
European Year took place at the Intercontinental Hotel, opened
by Claudia Boghicevici, minister of Labour, Family and Social
Protection, and Niculae Idu.
 Mrs. Boghicevici spoke about the necessity to combat
stereotypes related to elderly persons and reminded to the
audience that “those who do not have and old person around
should buy one!” The State Adviser to the Prime Minister
Andrea Paul Vass highlighted the role of elderly people in
society, as well as in the family, naming them the “white gold of
Romania”.

7. Mrs.Iolanda Balas Soter

9. Neagu Djuvara