2022 m. On 8 December, the Kaunas Centre for Educational Innovation hosted the international meeting-discussion “Let’s get to know each other better”, organised by Lithuanian and Polish seniors at a distance. The Erasmus+ project “Seniors Overcoming Barriers” is coordinated by ATEna in Kielce, Poland.
The meeting-discussion was moderated by Deputy Director Ginta Tarankienė, assisted by librarian Irena Valentukonienė and methodologist Diana Bulanovienė. Slawomir Sobocki interpreted for the seniors of Kelz, Poland. During the meeting, seniors presented their activities and hobbies, discussed their preparations for the upcoming Christmas, shared creative ideas, and learned more about their country’s culture, traditions and customs. Common cultural elements and customs were explored, and the friendship and communion between peoples was celebrated.
The Polish seniors introduced themselves as Marija, Janina, Jadvyga, Gražina – the similarity of these Polish names to popular names in Lithuania showed that the two nations have common links. One participant came from war-torn Ukraine. She sent warm greetings to the seniors, wishing them peace, Advent peace and health.
Lithuanian seniors were represented by: “Vitas Petraitis, chairman of Kaunas Maturity, Virginija Ruškienė, chairwoman of the Association of Culture, Art and Science “Creators’ Art”, members of Kaunas University of the Third Age Staselė Sipavičienė, Danutė Sklenienė and Violeta Veličkienė, member of the board of the Kaunas Senior Citizens’ Club Birutė Zeigienė, chairwoman of the Kaunas Šilainiai Community Centre Rima Andriulionienė, and member of the Lithuanian Independent Writers’ Association Julija Augustauskienė. The participants talked about their activities: poetry and music events, art exhibitions, educational trips, educational classes, books, health lectures. Vitas Petraitis interacted with the Polish seniors in Polish, which brought warmth and cosiness and enveloped everyone in an aura of friendship.
The project “Seniors Overcome Barriers” aims to create international cooperation between seniors, to present the diversity of Lithuanian and Polish countries, common cultural elements and lifestyles of seniors, and to promote cultural and social diversity in adult education.
Article and photos by Virginija Ruškienė
