29th - 31st October 2012: Kick off meeting in Ostrava (Czech Republic)

Between 29th and 31st October 2012, we gathered in Ostrava, the Czech Republic, to attend first project meeting, the Kick off meeting. There were 15 people coming from all over the Europe to spend together 3 days of project management work, education, social activities, getting to know each other and the Czech country and Ostrava region as well. All the project partners arrived safe and sound on Sunday, 28^th October. 

1st day

We all met on Monday morning in Harmony Club Hotel. Sedukon, o.p.s. welcomed all the participants and then introduced each other. After a short discussion and according to suggestions of the partners, we decided to change a schedule of meeting and move a morning program to the afternoon. We discussed the project dissemination strategy, we created the blog www.activesenior2012.blogspot.com. We set the timetable of the project meetings and then we arranged the European Fair. Each partner brought local products and specialties from local cuisine and shared them with partner organizations to spread knowledge of partner countries culture. 

2nd day

Next day, the morning activities were divided into several parts. We started with two workshops: “How to reach the longevity”, led by experts from Club of Health from Ostrava; and “Importance of family support for people changing their lifestyle habits” led by two local nutritional counselors. At the end, partners split into two groups to share knowledge and experiences from their countries about healthy eating habits. We visited Landek park museum in the afternoon. We all went down there and saw the underground exposition in cultural monument in former Anselm mine and we visited the exposition of mining rescue services as well. Partners could learn about heavy industry and mining which are so specific for the Moravia – Silesian region. 

3rd day

Last day, Sedukon presented the senior education system in the Czech Republic and in the afternoon, we visited University of 3^rd Age in Ostrava, where we met Mrs. Polášková, the main secretary of University of Third Age of VŠB – Technical University of Ostrava. She invited us to a Geology Pavilion where we could see the collection of minerals from all around the world collected by teachers and students from Faculty of Mining and Geology. It was a last part of the kick off meeting program. All partners said their goodbyes and started to prepare to leave the Czech Republic.