For those unfamiliar with GERO, it is a ‘competence centre’ focused on questions of ageing. Divided into three broad areas, GERO Aktiv is essentially a platform for learning, sharing skills, volunteering, and building contacts; GERO Pro offers training on subjects that pertain to ageing to organisations, corporations, and professionals; while GERO Research, as the name would suggest, carries out R&D in the realm of ageing and gerontology.
“Every year, in the context of the international day for older persons, GERO aims to raise awareness among the general public about topics related to ageing, and selects a specific theme to achieve this goal,” says GERO director Alain Brever. This year, GERO has chosen the topic of “perceptions of age/ageing” and is organizing a photo contest followed by an exhibition of the best submitted images. Through this initiative, GERO intends to showcase the diverse facets of ageing, depicted by individuals of various ages (both young and old) with the aim of challenging stereotypes.”
The vernissage and related photo contest aims to showcase that age and ageing are not easily defined by common tropes and stereotypes. While an ‘old’ person for some may be defined by inactivity and incapacity, for others it may conjure an image of a person free of obligation who lives life to the fullest.
The topic, explain GERO, is particularly pertinent due to our ongoing demographic shift - our population is steadily getting older, on average. Perceptions of age, ageism, and stereotyping are thus increasingly important to society at large, but also the economy and, of course, each of us as individuals. GERO give as an example that “life expectancy is thought to decrease by about 7 years” for people whose attitude towards their own ageing process is predominantly negative.
Those are some of the key reasons why the organisation has decided to organise a photo contest and vernissage. Their aim is to have people, whether young, old, or somewhere in between, send in pictures that represents age or ageing to them.
Open to everyone and not just professional photographers, the vernissage and contest are centred around three themes: facets of everyday life, diversity, and ups and downs. This, the organisers hope, will help provide a broad range of individual viewpoints and personal takes of age and ageing.
The vernissage will be held on 3 October 2023 at “Tramsschapp” in Limpertsberg. As an added incentive, three of the best photos will receive prizes ranging from €250-750.
More information how to enter the contest can be found here.
