Participants will develop their foreign language skills in a natural environment and gain insight into the lives of their peers. Learning about Italian culture will serve as a motivation, while personal contacts with peers will broaden their perspectives. The goal of the UTA is to activate seniors both intellectually and socially by providing contact with others. Experiencing the culture of another country will strongly encourage greater social engagement.
Learning foreign languages is a most popular activity at our University of the Third Age. However, it lacks opportunities for practical language use. The financial situation of older people generally does not allow them to visit Italy. Therefore, creating the possibility to travel there, to make new acquaintances, to use actively the acquired skills and explore cultural similarities and differences will be a chance for participants to feel like members of the European community.