Representatives of more than 100 members of AGE Platform Europe came together in Leuven for the General assembly and the Annual conference of the network. The focus of presentations and talks was the age equality in the EU. Following the input from human rights speakers like Sirpa Rautio from the EU Fundamental Rights Agency Director and Patrick Charlier, Chair of Equinet and Director of Unia, Inter-federal Centre for Equal Opportunities in Belgium, the conference covered recommendations and ways forward on how to write the next chapter for Age Equality in the EU.

These were insightful few days, focusing on looking at what's being done to tackle ageism and age discrimination at European and international levels, and discussing ways to improve protection during the next European mandate. After a special address by Dubravka  Šuica, EC Vice-President for Democracy and Demography, a number of UN and European experts shared their expertise with the participants. Among them were Marzena Okła-Drewnowicz, Minister for Senior Policy of Poland; Marco la Marca, Younesse Kaddour Djebbar, Anthony DeGiovanni, Carles Dedeu Fontcuberta, Elena Kountouri Tapiero, Prof. Aoife Nolan, Kalina Ekova, Maria Petkova, Alejandro Moledo del Río, Aïda Yancy, Mary Collins, Marzena Okła-Drewnowicz, Dr. Heidrun Mollenkopf etc.

Members and guests attended a special reception hosted by the Mayor of the city at LeuvenTown hall – an amazing early XV century hall.