Launch of the European Year Awards 2012

As part of the European Year for Active Ageing and Solidarity between Generations 2012, the European Commission launches the European Year Awards 2012 to recognize the work of organizations and people promoting active ageing through their activities. We provide this information in case you are interested or you know entities interested in participating.

These Awards include different categories:

- "Jobs for All Ages": this recognizes the best initiatives of business and labour organizations, and nonprofit organizations promoting better working conditions for older employees.  

- "Towards Adapted Environments  for Older People": this recognizes the highlighted initiatives of local and regional authorities that believe in an inclusive and accessible local environment which facilitated the active ageing and had a positive effect on health and life quality of all generations. 

- "Social entrepreneurs": it recognizes the most successful activities carried out by social entrepreneurs to promote active ageing and solidarity between generations. 

- "Information on Ageing and Relations Between Generations": it recognizes journalists whose work has contributed in an important way to understand better the challenges of an aging society and how to face them, raising the public debate level and promoting the formulation of more suitable policies. 

- "Life stories contest": it awards the life stories of the elderly. Members of the youngest generation are invited to tell the story of an older person (a relative, neighbour, friend, etc.) and make an inspiring contribution that the "person with an active ageing" has on family, society or work.  
 
"Generations@school contest": launched on March 2012, this contest invites all European schools to open their classes to seniors. Children and older people have the opportunity of thinking together about what they can learn from each other and how to work together for a better future. Participating schools can upload pictures on their specific website designed for this since June 30th 2012. The most creative projects between generations will be awarded.  

All the information about the Awards and how to participate (rules, deadlines...) is available at this link in Spanish:

http://europa.eu/ey2012/ey2012main.jsp?catId=1026&langId=es

The contest is open until September 1st 2012, and people from all EU Member States can participate. 

The finalists from each category will be invited to the ceremony of the European Year Awards on Active Ageing 2012 that will take place in November in Brussels.