As part of the “Bridging the Digital Divide” project, implemented by the Red Cross of Serbia in cooperation with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in Serbia, a Memorandum of Cooperation was signed on May 30th 2025 in Velika Plana. The goal of the memorandum is to enhance the digital literacy of older persons, promote healthy and active ageing, and encourage volunteerism and intergenerational solidarity.

Velika Plana is the third of six local governments included in the project. The Memorandum was signed by: Strahinja Pavešković, President of the Municipality of Velika Plana, Aleksandra Dinić, Director of the Center for Social Work and Zlatan Korunović, Secretary of the Red Cross of Velika Plana.

The signing ceremony was attended by representatives of the UN and the Red Cross: Tina Anić (UNFPA), Nataša Todorović and Milutin Vračević from the Red Cross of Serbia, as well as Slavica Musić, a project associate.

In Velika Plana, 76 older persons successfully completed digital training, and the project was further enriched by the participation of 181 foster carers, who also underwent training and gained essential skills for navigating the digital environment.

The training covered five thematic areas, including:

• creating and using email accounts,
• using eServices and the eGovernment platform,
• basics of online banking,
• internet safety,
• and navigating public administration digital services.

During the activities, older persons from Velika Plana expressed a need for additional content, particularly training related to:

• using artificial intelligence tools such as ChatGPT,
• and safe and easy online shopping.

These suggestions further demonstrate their motivation and willingness to learn, highlighting the importance of tailoring future training programs to users’ specific needs.

Many participants also expressed willingness to share the knowledge they acquired with other older individuals, especially in rural and hard-to-reach areas, thereby directly promoting intergenerational solidarity and the active involvement of older people in society.

The way a society treats its older members is the clearest indicator of its humanity, solidarity, and level of development.

This project in Velika Plana clearly illustrates that—through concrete steps toward digital inclusion and respect for the dignity of older persons.

The project is implemented as part of the “PRO – Local Governance for People and Nature” programme, jointly carried out by UNOPS, UNICEF, UNFPA, and UNEP in Serbia, in cooperation with the Government of the Republic of Serbia and with financial support from the Government of Switzerland.