A WHO consultation meeting with stakeholders on national program guidelines for age-friendly cities and communities in the context of crisis situations was held on 20-21 March at the Jagiellonian University (thanks to the cooperation of the Center for Public Policy Evaluation and Analysis).

This event will bring together representatives of cities and municipalities who are members of the Global Network of Cities and Communities Friendly to the Elderly WHO, as well as experts, stakeholders and representatives from around the world. The meeting was attended by elderly organizations from Poland and people and institutions from Ukraine who are involved in helping and supporting those in need. The event will jointly discuss innovative approaches and best practices in dealing with crisis situations from an age-friendly perspective. The aim of the meeting was to exchange ideas and knowledge and to create a network of people and organizations involved in promoting elderly-friendly cities and communities in crisis situations.

During the event Kraków will be honored at an official ceremony for his efforts to create an age-friendly environment and for his official acceptance into the Global Age-Friendly Cities and Communities Program in March 2023. Together with Dr. Anna Okońska-Walkowicz, one of the world’s leaders Healthy Aging 50 recognized by the United Nations The Decade of Healthy Aging for his contribution to making the world a better place to age. This is great news, because Krakow (Kraków City Hall cooperates with the Jagiellonian University, including Dr. Anna Okońska-Walkowicz), as well as the city of Wroclaw (already part of the program) are partners in the international project “City&Co: Older Adults Coming Together to Create a Sustainable Age-Friendly City“.

The project in Poland is coordinated by the Jagiellonian University – dr hab. Jolanta Perek-Białas, prof. Jagiellonian University (Institute of Sociology/Center for Evaluation and Analysis of Public Policy). Thanks to the meeting, there will be an opportunity to demonstrate that collaboration between scientists and decision makers is put into practice.