Final Conference in Bologna

Date: 24 November 2023

On November 24, 2023, the final conference of the European project BONDING took place at the Department of Education Sciences of the University of Bologna. Financed by the Erasmus+ program, the project aimed to create meaningful connections between generations to combat the growing loneliness among the elderly.

The conference, which attracted the attention of 22 participants, began with a warm welcome from Professor Elena Luppi of the University of Bologna and Licia Boccaletti, the president of the social cooperative “Anziani e Non solo” of Carpi. The event, held from 9:00 to 12:00, provided an in-depth look at the results and initiatives of the BONDING project.

Dr. Rosita Deluigi, associate professor of General and Social Pedagogy at the University of Macerata, opened the conference with a presentation titled “The loneliness of the elderly: the impact of COVID-19.” Her intervention emphasized the urgency of addressing the issue of loneliness, particularly exacerbated by the pandemic.

Subsequently, project coordinator from PCG Poland presented the BONDING project, with a detailed focus on the background, objectives, and target groups. Partners from “Anziani e Non solo” then illustrated the project’s main results, presenting crucial tools such as the mapping of the Befriending landscape at the European level, the BONDING E-learning course – Youth Befriending Elderly, the awareness-raising toolkit, and the Befriending networking platform.

A moment of particular significance was dedicated to the BONDING Hubs developed in Cyprus, presented by Elena Xeni, a representative of the Cardet association. The Hubs represent a tangible contribution to the project, offering a replicable model to combat elderly loneliness at the community level.

Finally, Dr. Sara Santini, a researcher at INRCA, concluded the conference with a presentation titled “Active Aging and Intergenerationality.” Her intervention highlighted the importance of active involvement of the elderly in society and the value of connections between different generations.

The conference concluded with greetings and a conclusion by Professor Elena Luppi, emphasizing the importance of the BONDING project in advancing its mission to combat loneliness through meaningful connections between generations.