SHARE Featured at an International Forum on Ageing and Long-Term Care in Rome

On 22 June 2026, the international forum “Ageing and Demand for Care in Central and Eastern Europe: Determinants, Challenges, and Possible Responses over the Next Ten Years” was held in Rome. The event was organised by the University of Rome Tor Vergata with the support of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. The forum brought together representatives of international organisations, academic institutions, and national experts from more than ten countries across Central and Eastern Europe.

Among the participants were the SHARE National Coordinators for Estonia, Latvia, and Croatia – Prof. Luule Sakkeus, Assoc. Prof. Ajia Bukova Zideluna, and Assoc. Prof. Šime Smolić – who shared expert perspectives and good practices related to population ageing and the development of care systems in the region.

The forum also welcomed representatives of the World Health Organization (WHO Europe), the European Centre for Social Welfare Policy and Research, the Council of Europe, UNFPA, as well as leading scholars and experts in the fields of ageing, health policy, and social policy. Discussions focused on the growing demand for care in the context of demographic change, health inequalities, and the sustainable development of long-term care systems across the region.

The participation of the national coordinators highlighted the importance of SHARE as a key European research infrastructure, providing reliable comparative data on ageing, health, social conditions, and care needs among people aged 50 and over across Europe.