PRESS RELEASE
Brussels, 21 June,2010:
Thought leaders from around theworld will convene in Denmark forthe Ambient Assisted Living Forum (AAL Forum) 2010 on 15-17thSeptember 2010, addressing the theme “Active Ageing: SmartSolutions, New Markets”. Keynote speakers will stimulatediscussions surrounding smart solutions for an improved quality oflife in later years. A variety of new solutions and technologiesaimed at elders will be showcased at an exhibition alongside theconference.
“Over the next 20 years allindustrialized and developing nations will experience a demographictransition from predominantly younger populations to olderpopulations. The AAL Joint Programme is a cross-European initiativein dealing with the challenges posed by the
demographic shift. The AAL Forum2010, this year in Odense, Denmark, will bring industry,researchers, users and policy makers together aiming at creatingthe momentum towards economically viable and sustainable marketuptake of AAL solutions, to the benefit of older persons andEuropean industries “, says Lena Gustafsson, President ofthe AAL Association.
Keynotespeakers:
Claus Hjort Frederiksen 
anish Minister of Finance and formerly the Danish Minister ofEmployment for 8 years. The Danish Ministry of Finance initiatedand administers the world’s largest national funding initiative:the PWT Foundation (Public Welfare Technology – in Danish:ABT-fonden), a 400 million Euro programme dedicated to developingand improving public sector services through the use of newtechnologies and improved working procedures. Many of the projectsthat the foundation sponsors are aimed at improving the quality oflife of the elderly through the use of new technological solutions,while at same time ensuring a more efficient public sector. The PWTFoundation will present some of the solutions it sponsors at theAAL Forum 2010 in Odense.
Jan Mühlfeit believes thatinnovation is the lifeblood of the 21st century economy. AsChairman Europe, for Microsoft Corporation since 2007, his aim isto ensure
the company contributes to enabling innovation in all sectors. Overthe last
two decades he has received numerous awards including the “CzechBrain Award”
and was named the Czech IT Personality of the Year threetimes.
Lars Kolind: DesignatedDenmark’s “Man of the Year” in 1996, Lars Kolind is a knowledgeworker, mathematician and entrepreneur. He created “TheSpaghetti
Organisation” – one of the most studied business innovations in the1990s.
Kolind is chairman of several international businesses and he is anadjunct
professor of leadership and strategy at Aarhus University BusinessSchool. He
has co-founded three initiatives to prepare Denmark for theknowledge society
and he the author of best-selling book “The Second Cycle – Winningthe War against Bureaucracy”. Just recently he became the chairmanof the host region new AAL initiative: Welfare Tech Region.
Morten Loekkegaard: FormerDanish TV host, Morten
Loekkegaard, now a Member of the European Parliament, is
currently Vice-President, EP Committee of Culture and Education anda member of
the Substitute Committee on Internal Market & ConsumerProtection. For 15
years, he worked at Denmark’s national TV & Radio where hehosted political
and entertainment television programmes. He also works as anindependent communications
advisor .
John Beard : Director ofthe Department of Ageing and Life Course at the World HealthOrganisation in Geneva, John Beard, MBBS PhD, is responsible forincreasing international awareness of ageing as a driving force inshaping 21st century public health, and for guiding theinternational community to meet the challenges associated withrapidly ageing populations.“The demographic challenge cannot besolved locally.
We need to share solutions andimplement innovative technologies across borders. We need to revolutionize how wethink and deliver technology enabled solutions for the ageing population”explains Claus F. Nielsen, Chairman of the AAL ForumCommittee.
For more information about the AAL Forum, please visit www.aalforum.eu or contact
Claus F. Nielsen, Chairman of the AAL Forum Committee T: +45 61160974, E: cfn@delta.dk
To learn more about the AAL Forum, please visit: www.aalforum.eu
About the AAL Forum
The AAL Forum was held for the first time in Vienna in 2009. TheAAL Joint Programme, the Danish Ministry of Science, Technology andInnovation, the Region of Southern Denmark, the City of Odense, andthe Danish PWT foundation are joint organizers of the AAL Forum2010. The forum will present the most comprehensive and vibrantshowcase in the field of AAL in Europe. The AAL Forum 2010 launchesat the same time a new powerful digital web 2.0 platform withthe
aim of strengthening ideas and knowledge sharing betweenstakeholders. For questions about the AAL Forum 2010 Programme andAAL Forum Digital Community
please contact: Chairman of the AAL Forum Committee, Claus F.Nielsen, cfn@delta.dk, +45 6116 0974
About the AAL InvestmentForum
In conjunction with the AAL Forum an AAL Investment Forum is set upfor the first time. The aim is to support the large number ofinnovative solutions and technologies in the field of AAL.The AALInvestment Forum is primarily a match-making bazaar for AALEntrepreneurs and Public & Private Investors. The aim of theAAL Investment Forum is to provide a platform where these
audiences can share solutions, case studies and investmentopportunities. There will also be presentations by industry andpublic leadership on how to develop a successful business plan; howto obtain funding from private and public investors and trends andobservations across the European AAL market. The AAL InvestmentForum will take place in conjunction with the AAL Forum on the14-15th of September. For more information, please contact:Chairman Reinhard
Goebl, rgoebl@gmail.com, +43 6766 8307 62To learn more about theAAL Investment Forum, please visit: www.aal-invest.eu
About the AAL JointProgramme (www.aal-europe.eu)
AAL Joint Programme is the world’s largest supra-nationalinitiative dealing with ageing population, implemented by 20European Member States and 3 Associated States. The programmereceives a substantial financial support – based on article 185 ofthe Lisbon treaty – from the European Union. The objective of theAAL Joint Programme is to enhance the quality of life of olderpeople and strengthen the industrial base in Europe through the useof Information and Communication Technologies (ICT). The motivationof the new funding activity is in the demographic change and ageingin Europe, which implies not only challenges but also opportunitiesfor the citizens, the social and healthcare systems as well asindustry and the European market.
The concept of Ambient Assisted Living is understood as to extendthe time people can live in their preferred environment byincreasing their autonomy, self-confidence and mobility
- to support maintaining health and functional capability of theelderly individuals,
- to promote a better and healthier lifestyle for individuals atriskto enhance the security,
- to prevent social isolation and to support maintaining themultifunctional network around the individualto support carers,families and care organisations
- to increase the efficiency and productivity of used resourcesin the ageing societies.
For more information about the AAL Joint Programme, please contact:Silas Olsson, Acting Head of Unit, AALA, silas.olsson@aal-europe.eu+32 (0)2 219 92 25
