On the third day of the EU Week on Sustainable and Inclusive Communities: the Future is SHAFE, the co-organiser SHINE 2Europe, contributed significantly to the discussions, reinforcing its mission to create smart, healthy, and inclusive environments.
Carina Dantas, the NET4 Age-Friendly Action’s Chair and SHINE 2Europe’s CEO, opened the working day and led the first session on “Implementing societal missions – policy and organisational enablers and challenges,” where Marius Geanta, Gianna Tsakou, and Maciej Bobowicz showcased how policy frameworks can drive societal missions, promoting innovation and inclusion.
Miriam Cabrita, representing SHINE 2Europe, took the stage as the moderator for the session on “Trustworthy AI – ethics, legal and regulatory aspects in practical use cases.” Together with speakers Sara Colantonio, Aleksandar Jevremovic, Maria Jose Romero, and Ira Haavisto, the session explored how artificial intelligence can be deployed responsibly, ensuring that technology serves people’s well-being and reinforces inclusivity.
The morning concluded with Tatjana Loncar-Turukalo, Action’s Grants Committee Member, facilitating a dynamic dialogue on “Social inclusion and participatory approaches through digital solutions.” This session sparked a thought-provoking debate among Elisio Costa, Anna Urbaniak, Arlind Reuter, and Sofia Nunes, underlining the importance of participatory strategies in creating inclusive digital environments.
In parallel, Willeke van Staalduinen, NET4 Vice-Chair, collaborated with Inês Saavedra from SHINE 2Europe and Pedro Roseiro, NET4 WG5 leader, to run a workshop for young researchers using the Garcia Family method. This innovative approach invited participants to design the ideal New European Bauhaus (NEB) neighbourhood, considering the Garcia family’s everyday challenges — cognitive decline, mobility issues, and mental health — to envision sustainable and well-being-centred solutions.
The afternoon session, organised by the ENSA network (European Network of Social Authorities) and represented by Elena Curtopassi, brought together experts such as Inês Saavedra from SHINE 2Europe, Maria Jose Rico Llorca from IVASS Valencia, Michele Calabrò from EUREGHA, and others. The panel, which included Oscar Zanutto from ISRAA Treviso, leader of NET4Age-Friendly’s WG, focused on “The impact of Demographic Change – holistic and integrated solutions.” The discussion stressed the urgent need for strategies that merge technology, health, and social care to address the challenges from an ageing population.
Throughout the conference, the shared commitment of SHINE 2Europe and NET4Age-Friendly to integrate digital innovation with social and health approaches was evident. Their collaborative efforts continue to support the creation of inclusive communities, resonating with the core principles of SHAFE — ensuring that no one is left behind as we build a smarter, healthier, and more inclusive future.
SHINE on day 3 of EU Week on SHAFE
