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Nicola has been the Chair of the AAL Forum and the European Week of Active and Healthy Ageing for the last 10 years and is passionate about social innovation that activates citizens in a dialogue with governments at all levels. As a Communication and a Public Policy Manager for the European AAL Joint Programme he has advocated for a wellbeing approach to digital innovation in social and health care. Previously, he supported the United Nations to campaign the Sustainable Development Goals throughout governments and civil society organizations in Latin America as well as Sub-Saharan Africa.
Joanna Makocka has been involved in AAL Programme from 2014 as a National Contact Point, responsible for call for proposals and support for Polish entities involved in Programme. Currently is a head of programme section in International Cooperation Department managing various programmes such as co-funded partnerships under Horizon Europe, bilateral initiatives and programmes implemented under the EEA and Norway Grants.
Holds a degree in science politics, and have later added two educations in firstly strategic management and secondly innovation and entrepreneurship. 4 years of experience from EU Parliament as policy advisor and 10 years in Central Denmark Region working with cross sectorial collaboration and quality improvement in the health care system. Since 2018 Head of health innovation in Regional Development in Central Denmark Region, with main focus on strategic development of the health care system and developing strong ecosystems in health innovation, also in charges of developing a range of projects and areas on innovation in health e.g. health and nutrition, health and culture, digitalization and international cooperation – all with the main focus to create better solutions for the patients, the citizens.
- I’m Rik Wisselink and work for The Netherlands Organisation for Health Research and Development (ZonMw). As a programmanager I coordinate the Active & Assisted Living (AAL) program for the Netherlands and support the Dutch partners in this program. ZonMw enables others to develop new (scientific) knowledge and innovations. And I do everything I can to ensure that these innovations are used in policy and practice. Over the years I have experienced the health and care sector from several perspectives: (a care organisation, a local municipality and national policy) With the knowlegde gained there I hope to contribute to the challenge of implementing innovations that help to tranform the way in which we organise health and care.
Karol Gzyl is vice president of the Gdansk Foundation, an organising partner of this year's EWAHA. He has been connected to the NGO sector for over a decade, also sharing his experience with working in the news media. He was involved in the production of the largest outdoor events in Poland addressed to young people. Since 2015, he has been working with the World Organization of the Scout Movement, currently as a consultant to the World Bureau.
Agata has been working at the Gdańsk Foundation since 2015 as a coordinator for the priorities of Gdańskość and Morski Gdańsk. During this period, she implemented a number of projects educating young people beyond formal education in the form of workshops, ran a scholarship program for postgraduate studies at the University of Gdańsk and projects related to the protection and cultivation of local identity. A continuous project is the comprehensive organization and coordination of the international sailing event Baltic Sail.
The European Week for Active and Healthy Ageing is made possible by the European Commission. 
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