The project called “Age Against The Machine”, which the Red Cross of Serbia will implement in cooperation with the “Novi Sad - European Capital of Culture” Foundation, began its implementation last week during a meeting of partners that lasted from April 10 to 14, 2024. This meeting brought together representatives of all five partner countries participating in the project.

The goal of the “Age Against The Machine” project is to increase the awareness, knowledge and interest of citizens as well as decision makers regarding aging and the position of older persons in modern society.

The project will deal with the topic of ageism, i.e. the fight against age discrimination and violence against older persons, and also aims to create an international network of five cities that will publicly advocate the fight against ageism, using a combination of different participatory applied theatre methodologies. Through the “Age Against The Machine” project, discriminatory practices that exist and are aimed at older persons in various areas and stages of life will be specifically investigated and reexamined, with a special emphasis on older women.

This project is implemented within the framework of the European Commission's CERV - Network of Cities program, with partners from Denmark, Portugal, Italy, Poland and the Netherlands. A total of 12 activities are planned as part of the project, including one initial training in Novi Sad for project mentors and coordinators, five “Age Against The Machine” festivals in the cities of project partners (Holstebro, Cuneo, Evora, Goljenov, Novi Sad), one conference and five premieres of theater performances with communities in the project partner countries (Poland, Serbia, Portugal, Denmark, Italy) from November 2024 to November 2025.

An important partner in the project is the Red Cross of Serbia and its experts Nataša Todorović and Milutin Vračević will be expert support for all partners in the research process in relation to the topics of “ageism”, which refer to various forms of structural discrimination. This will include the review of existing legal regulations in Europe and partner countries. A new questionnaire on ageism will also be piloted during the project.

Through an interactive approach and intergenerational solidarity, we will try to draw attention to the fact that we need to redefine our relationship to older persons and that everyone can be a factor of change, and through art and theater we can reach a larger number of people.