The opening event of the cooperation program “New Directions in ‘Active Ageing’ and ‘Age-friendly Culture’ in India and Germany” between Heidelberg University (HU) and Jahwaharlal Nehru University (JNU) took place from 28^th to 30^th November 2016 in New Delhi. Professor Dr. Andreas Kruse delivered the keynote lecture titled “Towards A Comprehensive Understanding of Old Age” at the India International Centre. The talk was well attended and represented by experts from different fields and reputed organizations such as United Nations Population Fund, Institute of Economic Growth and All India Institute of Medical Sciences.

This was followed by a full day round table meeting at the JNU with German and Indian project members. In this project, the faculty from Heidelberg University is represented by Prof. Christiane Brosius (Chair of Visual and Media Anthropology at the Heidelberg Centre for Transcultural Studies), by Prof. William S. Sax (Head of the Department of Ethnology at South Asia Intitute), Dr. Martin Gieselmann (Executive Secretary at South Asia Institute), Dr. Michael Doh (Department of Psychological Ageing Research, Institute of Psychology) and Prof. Andreas Kruse (Director of the Institute of Gerontology). The New Delhi partners from Jawaharlal Nehru University are  Prof. Minati Panda (Zakir Husain Centre for Educational Studies), Prof. Surinder Jodhka (Centre for the Study of Social Systems), and Prof. Mohan Rao (Centre of Social Medicine & Community Health). The round table discussion on various aspects of the four years program included a presentation of the individual thematic modules of the project members such as for example “Indian models of Ageing”, “Images of Age and Ageing” and “Migration and Care”. Moreover, the dates for the next events were scheduled and the content of the upcoming Spring School and Workshop in Delhi was outlined. The meeting was also attended by eight doctoral candidates from different chairs and disciplines within the School of Social Sciences, JNU presenting their research topics on age and ageing.  

The opening event of the project concluded with a screening of the German film on dementia “Vergiss mein nicht” at the Goethe Institut/Max Mueller Bhavan, followed by a discussion led by Dr. Michael Doh. This event is part of the “Indo-German Film Festival for Generations” screening Indian and German films on topics such as active and healthy ageing and followed by a discussion of experts with the audience. Aim of the film festival is to contribute to the intergenerational dialogue and to sensitize civil society on topics such as active and healthy ageing and demographic change.