Memories are a bridge between generations

Connecting different generations is important! Do you agree?

Intergenerational integration is youth, young adults, and the oldest generations of our society living together.

The campaign, “Let’s Write Memories,“ (Slovene: “Zapišimo spomine”) is organized by the institute, Dobra pot. Through its campaigns the institute encourages the public to preserve natural and cultural heritage and participate in socially beneficial activities.

The campaign will be held for the second time this year. The goal is to draw attention to the extremely important role of the elderly in our society.

They are a real treasure trove of experiences from the past which hides a lot of wisdom about life. They are often pushed to the sidelines of society and left feeling lonely.

On the other hand, there are young people who are quickly losing touch with their heritage and the past.

This creates a gap between generations, which the writing of memories tries to fill. The project preserves an important cultural heritage that strengthens the connection between generations.

Everyone can get involved in this project!

The elderly are mostly involved in the project as witnesses – they share their stories and memories. The younger participants are recorders, and they record memories in a special application. 

You can open the application on your computer or phone, register, and then you can already record your grandfather’s memories of his youth. The app is available for anyone to download, and it is free. In the app everyone can view and read the recorded oral tradition.

This year’s initiative is particularly exciting for the Dobra pot Institute because the “Records of Memory” (Slovene: “Zapisi spomina”) campaign received an award from the Council of Europe and the European Commission in 2022.

Socializing with the elderly enriches us in every way! Who will teach us how to make traditional prekmurska gibanica, if not a Slovenian grandmother?

Points to Consider

1. Do you like listening to stories? Why or why not?
2. Who do you know who’s elderly? What’s your relationship with them?
3. Why is it important for younger generations to cooperate with older generations?

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The original version of this article was published on March 16^th.