4 June 2026
This spring, a series of YUFE Academy and International Café activities took place across Europe, bringing together universities, public institutions, and local communities in a shared effort to promote inclusive and lifelong learning. While each of these initiatives contributed to YUFE’s broader mission, two events in particular stand out for their strong international dimension, community and civic engagement, and meaningful intergenerational dialogue.
Organised simultaneously across several European locations, including the University of Eastern Finland and Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, these two events served not only as platforms for knowledge exchange but also as valuable opportunities to strengthen connections between academia and local partners. Owing to the collaboration with the YUFE Skills of the Future programme’s pilot events for the elderly, particular emphasis was placed on engaging senior citizens and ensuring that learning environments remain open, accessible, and relevant to people of all ages.
One Film, Four Screens
The first of these standout events centred around the documentary “SAKBE – Roads of Life in the Maya Forest”. The screening was introduced by the film’s directors, documentarist Kerttu Matinpuro and researcher Hanna Laako, who provided context for the story and its themes. This was followed by local sessions combining a shared viewing of the documentary with discussions on issues such as social participation, ecological limits to development, and the impact of mass tourism on local communities.
“The documentary was timely and thought-provoking, and the local experts really connected the themes to our everyday life here in our region. It was also lovely to see such a multigenerational audience, from a small baby to students and elderly citizens,” says a citizen participant from Kuopio.
“At UC3M, discussions covered a wide range of topics, from the complexity of political contexts, including language diversity, to the importance of education in empowering citizens, to the right of everyone to connect with nature,” says Ruth Moratilla Torrico, head of the Cooperation and Sustainable Development Department at UC3M.
What made the event particularly unique was its transnational finale: participants from Madrid, Nicosia, Toruń, and Kuopio connected online to exchange perspectives and reflect on the discussions held in their local contexts. Thanks to this event, the documentary now also has Polish subtitles, and good connections were established with several local associations that found the event’s theme relevant to their members.
Crossing Borders, Shaping Democracy
The second key event focused on civic engagement and democratic participation. Titled “Empowering Agency in Democracy – From Human Rights to Everyday Action”, it combined a lecture on the social dimension of human rights delivered by Dr Piotr Sadowski with interactive workshops led by Dr Agnieszka Furmańska-Maruszak, both from NCU. The session brought together a diverse audience, including participants from the University of Rijeka, NCU, the Universities of the Third Age in Toruń and Rijeka, and the “Senior+” Day Care Centre in Toruń, highlighting once again the importance of intergenerational learning.
“In collaboration with Rijeka City Library and the UNIRI University of the Third Age, this event created a space for reflection on our everyday practices related to human rights, which are often taken for granted. Its intergenerational nature added significant value, bringing together diverse experiences and perspectives,” says Tihana Naglić, advisor for YUFE Lifelong Learning at UNIRI.
At the same time, the seminar formed part of the Erasmus+ project MACU, coordinated by the University of the Third Age in Toruń, and involving partners from Slovakia and Romania, further reinforcing its international scope.
“The intergenerational workshop was inspiring, engaging, and highly valuable. It provided a safe space to share ideas, learn from others, and reflect on important rights and values. I especially appreciated the interactive activities and the positive atmosphere,” says Ana Zlibut from the League of Writers Association in Timișoara, Romania.
Zdenka Bencurova from the Centre for Religious and Historical Studies (CEREHIS) in Košice, Slovakia, adds: “It was very beneficial for us. We appreciated the sharing of values across different generations and countries, which was no small challenge given that it was a hybrid event”.
The events also marked the beginning of a new YUFE-based collaboration between NCU and the Toruń City Lab, which was recently formalised through an agreement. “For us, this partnership is a natural step toward building a city that supports inclusive community development. By combining the academic potential of Nicolaus Copernicus University and YUFE with the experience of the Toruń City Lab in civic dialogue and competence development, we can create meaningful initiatives that benefit students, residents, and especially senior citizens,” says Malwina Kostrzewska, coordinator of the Toruń City Lab.
Together, these events illustrate how YUFE goes beyond traditional education – creating spaces where international collaboration, local engagement, lifelong learning, and social responsibility come together in practice.
