To mark the International Day of Older Persons, the Office of the Labour, Social Affairs, Health and Consumer Protection Attaché of the Republic of Austria, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the Red Cross of Serbia, and the Commissioner for the Protection of Equality jointly organized a conference titled “My Future – Whose Responsibility? Inclusive Society for All. Part Two” on 6 October 2025 at the European House in Belgrade.

The event brought together decision-makers, civil society representatives, and experts from Serbia and Austria, creating a platform for the exchange of knowledge and experiences on innovative approaches to active and healthy ageing, digital inclusion, the silver economy, and intergenerational cooperation – key priorities of modern societies in the context of demographic change.

The conference was opened by Matilde Mordt, UN Resident Coordinator in Serbia, H.E. Christian Ebner, Ambassador of the Republic of Austria to Serbia, Prof. dr Dragan Radovanović, President of the Red Cross of Serbia, and Brankica Janković, Commissioner for the Protection of Equality.

In his opening remarks, Prof. dr Radovanović emphasized:

“Involving older persons in the design and implementation of support programs is essential for their effectiveness and sustainability. When we carefully listen to the needs of older persons and respect their experiences, we build a society in which they are not just recipients of support but equal partners in creating better solutions for all generations.”

The program opened with a performance of an excerpt from the play “Waiting for the Rain”, an interactive theatrical piece implemented within the international project Age Against the Machine, in which the Red Cross of Serbia collaborates with the Foundation Novi Sad – European Capital of Culture.

The first panel of the conference, titled “Dialogue Between Generations: From Experience to Action”, was moderated by actress and director Branka Bajić and featured:

• Nataša Todorović, Expert Associate, Red Cross of Serbia,
• Christoph Angster, Deputy Head of the Department for Ageing Policies and Volunteering, Federal Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs, Health, Care and Consumer Protection of Austria,
• Katarina Đulić, FEFA Faculty, Metropolitan University, and
• Tatjana Rakić, Senior Advisor, Ministry for Human and Minority Rights and Social Dialogue of Serbia.

In her address, Nataša Todorović spoke about the challenges of contemporary ageing, highlighting that:

“Ageing is not a problem but a success of humanity. However, to ensure that longer lives are also better lives, we must build a society that invests in prevention, accessible community services, and intergenerational solidarity. It is essential to see older persons not merely as beneficiaries but as partners in shaping the policies and programs that define the future of us all.”

The conference continued with two additional panels — “Empowering Communities for Inclusion and Well-being of Older Persons” and “The Future of the Economy: Potentials of the Silver Economy and Silver Entrepreneurship” — where participants from Serbia and Austria discussed ways to strengthen local policies, support employment, and enhance the economic potential of the older population.

The event concluded with the message that an inclusive society is not a privilege but a shared responsibility, and that investing in older persons means investing in a safer, fairer, and more humane future.