The Fórum Lisboa hosted, on October 12th, the 1st Lisboa Com Vida Meeting, an initiative that gathered representatives from public institutions, the social sector, academia, and other partner entities to discuss the challenges of longevity, aging, loneliness, and social isolation.
Promoted by the Program Lisboa, Cidade COM VIDA Para Todas as Idades, the meeting marked the signing of an addendum to the Cooperation Protocol, extending the partners' commitment until 2033, and introduced the new commitment for the RADAR Social da Cidade de Lisboa.
At the opening session, the Provedor of the Santa Casa da Misericórdia de Lisboa, Paulo Sousa, highlighted the importance of institutional coordination to ensure responses tailored to people's needs. "We know that the challenges of longevity cannot be solved solely with more responses. They require articulated, timely, and person-centered responses," he stated, emphasizing the need to mobilize skills and resources to build coordinated responses throughout life.
The addendum to the Cooperation Protocol establishes a new Strategic Plan of Measures and strengthens the capacity for community outreach with the entry of the Patriarcado de Lisboa into the partner network.
Throughout the proceedings, the need to bring services, institutions, and communities closer was discussed, promoting coordinated intervention. Mário Rui André, director of the Mission Unit Santa Casa Lisboa, Cidade Com Vida para Todas as Idades, participated in the reflection on the importance of coordinating existing resources and reinforcing community intervention.
The conference «Cidades da Longevidade», presented by Maria João Valente Rosa (Universidade Nova de Lisboa), and the panel «Estratégias Colaborativas na Construção de uma Cidade para a Longevidade», moderated by Catarina Carvalho (Mensagem de Lisboa), were other highlights of the morning. The panel included Miguel Soares (Câmara Municipal de Lisboa), Fernando Pinto (Santa Casa), Inês Lemos (Polícia de Segurança Pública), Ana Rodrigues (NOVA Medical School), and Canon Joaquim Loureiro (Patriarcado de Lisboa).
The afternoon focused on loneliness and social isolation, with a conference by Stella Bettencourt da Câmara (ISCSP-ULisboa) and a panel on projects from the KORALE Lisboa Com Vida Community of Practice. Representatives from Associação Alegria de Viver, Santa Casa da Misericórdia de Lisboa, Programa Sempre Acompanhados, NOVA Medical School, Universidades Sénior, and Associação Coração Amarelo participated.
The presentation and signing of the Commitment Charter for the RADAR Social da Cidade de Lisboa reinforced the continuity of network work and shared responsibility in identifying and supporting vulnerable situations.
In the closing session, Ângela Guerra, administrator of the Santa Casa da Misericórdia de Lisboa, emphasized the importance of continuing joint work and transforming commitments into concrete actions for the city. "Combating unwanted loneliness requires more than social responses. It demands proximity, attention, and the ability to recognize those who often remain invisible in the community," she said.
The participation of Santa Casa, with administrators André Brandão de Almeida and Clara Carneiro, is part of the work developed by the institution under the Program Lisboa, Cidade COM VIDA Para Todas as Idades, aiming for a Lisbon better prepared for longevity, with greater capacity to prevent isolation, promote autonomy, and respond to people's needs at all life stages.
Integrated into the celebrations of the Month of the Elderly, the meeting marked a moment of review and renewal of commitments among partners, signaling a new phase of cooperation for building a more inclusive city prepared for all ages.
