Elizabeth Mestheneos, President of AGE – European Older People’s Platform, was a special guest of the conference. She presented the work of AGE, a network of organisations of people above 50 and represents 22 million older people in Europe. AGE’s goal is to present and to popularize the interests of 150 million citizens of the European Union aged 50 and above and to attract public attention to issues, which are of highest importance for them. 

The Bulgarian Government was represented at the conference by Emiliya Boinova, Director of Demographic Policy, Social Investments and Equal Opportunities Directorate at the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy. She presented the direction in which the Ministry works to improve the life of older people and its intentions to work in close partnership with civil organisations in order to guarantee the participation of civil organisations, working for and with older people, in the regulation of policies aimed at this group. 

The aim of the conference was to provoke and widen the social debate on the role and the contribution to society of older people, to discuss all various aspects of social inclusion and to set the beginning of an efficient consultation process with older people. The conference was attended by representatives of different civil organisations, working with and for older people; experts form the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy; mayors and representatives of regional administrations; older people. Maria Petkova presented the results of a research, implemented by Tulip Foundation and civil organisations working with and for older people among more than 1500 people from the third age, on the needs and abilities of older people.

Desislava Ilieva from the Bulgarian Red Cross talked about the role and the work of the public councils of older people. Aneta Marincheva from Knowledge Association spoke of the experience of their organisations in engaging older people in municipal and neighbourhood councils of the town in partnership with Lovech Municipality. 

The second part of the conference focused on good practices of social inclusion of older people, implemented by civil organisations in Bulgaria. Daniela Dimitrova, Public Fund Chitalishta, Pleven, presented the activities of their organisation of and for older people in three villages of Pleven Municipality – voluntary groups for self-help, engaging older people with a background in arts to work with children and young people in the villages. Tsonka Ivanova, Inclusion Foundation, Elin Pelin, spoke about the work of the social centres of older people in the village of Petkovo and Еlin Pelin. Pensioners visiting these centres shared with the conference participants their efforts to preserve the active life and mind of older people.

Ganka Gospodinova from Alternative 55 Association, Stara Zagora presented a programme for protection of older people from domestic, which is successful in Stara Zagora Municipality. 

Tsenka Dimitrova from Third Age Foundation, Ruse, Nedka Rizova and Yordanka Spiridonova from the Day centre with the same name, spoke of the computer and internet training they have had. They shared that it gives them new confidence and helps them stay in touch with their relatives. 

Reneta Veneva from the National Alliance of Volunteer Action, Plovdiv, presented a programme for engaging active older people as volunteers helping the patients and staff at hospitals in Plovdiv. Grigorii Doikin – an elderly volunteer, spoke of the work of the volunteers at the surgery wards and the relationship that develops among volunteers and patients. Taking care of others brings satisfaction to those pensioners who still feel capable of working for others. 

The issue of active participation and involvement of pensioners and the necessary support on the behalf of local business was raised and discussed by representatives of civil organisations and the older people themselves. 

The conference was organised with the financial support of the European Commission within the project Encouraging social inclusion of older people through public debates at national and local level, implemented by Tulip Foundation in partnership with 11 organisations from 8 countries, members of the EU.