Always Active Campaign

As the European society has been getting older and older, the problem of ageing has become a crucial issue in the past years. With the ageing process progressing, physical fitness and functional capacity of Europeans naturally decrease. Additionally, they become more physically restricted and thus tend to easily withdraw from social life and isolate themselves.

In order to counteract the social exclusion originating from advanced age as well as to prevent consequent physical mobility restrictions, the UBC Commission on Sport intends to launch a Social Campaign entitled "Always Active". The objective of the campaign is to promote an active lifestyle as a factor enhancing health and functional capacity as well as to stress the importance of healthy ageing process. It should be stressed here that the above mentioned targets are in line with the priorities of the World Health Organisation.

Within the "Always Active" Social Campaign, the commission intends to realise the following activities:

Grant Session
It is the tradition to award annual grants for the organisation of sporting events. In 2008 the Commission continues to promote sport as a health-enhancing factor which simultaneously counteracts social exclusion and isolation. Yet, this year the Commission intends to emphasize the necessity of being physically active at all stages of life. In the 2008 Grant Session entitled "Sport for All Generations" the Commission will pay special attention to sports projects which integrate all generations in their attempts to keep physically and mentally active and fit.

International Conference "Always Active"
It is the Commission on Sport intention to promote a positive relationship between physical activity and health which is crucial for functional capacity as well as mobile independence of elderly people. In order to meet the a/m target the Commission plans to organise an international conference which will be addressed mainly to people involved in work with elderly people and organisations established to encourage these people to keep active.

Scheduled to take place in Gdynia in the autumn 2008, the conference will be divided into two thematic blocks. The first one will be devoted to the presentation of the importance of healthy ageing as well as programmes available to promote this issue. The second part of the conference will consist in presenting best practices of UBC member cities aimed at encouraging elderly people to remain physically active even in their advanced age and retirement years.

International Multidisciplinary Competition "Always Active"
Within the "Always Active" Social Campaign, the Commission intends to organise International Multidisciplinary Competition "Always Active" which will be addressed to elderly people (+55) living in the UBC member cities. The objective of the competition is to encourage them to be creative despite their retirement years and advanced age. Additionally, the Commission would like to show the works of elderly people as well as their artistic and creative potential.

The competition will be held in the following categories: (1) art (embroidery and weaving miniature) and (2) tourism (preparation of a small tourist guide that would present attractions of a particular UBC member city).

Participants should submit their works via a local organization involved in the work for elderly people. The organizations whose representatives have won in each category (embroidery, weaving miniature and tourism) will be awarded 1000 EUR each. The Commission on Sport will also award prizes (album books etc.) for individuals who have won the first three places in each category.

The best works sent in for the art competition will be displayed in exhibition which may then be presented in other UBC member cities. Additionally, these works will be presented in a special gallery created on the commission's website. As for the best tourist routes submitted for the tourist part of the competition, they will be included in the 2009 engagement calendar "Travel Around the Baltic" which will serve both as a calendar as well as tourist guide to the most interesting corners of the Baltic Sea Region.