ABSTRACT

Intergenerational equity and solidarity among and between generations have particular significance in the context of sustainable development efforts. Moving to an economy based primarily on information technology and digital connectivity creates a sophisticated digital environment. This chapter seeks to explore how new opportunities could be harnessed to promote the social inclusion of older and younger cohorts, avoiding pitfalls and strengthening intergenerational links and intergenerational cooperation. Overcoming digital disadvantages and exclusion is part and parcel of a broader social inclusion agenda, focused on promoting civic and cultural participation, employment and access to essential social services, including such services as training and lifelong learning.

The issues linked to digital inclusion across generations belong to a new set of challenges that society is facing. A need to create dedicated intergenerational programmes to address specific social issues has been widely acknowledged; often they involve collaborative partnerships between various organisations serving different age cohorts. Seeing the enormous potential of digitalisation in terms of opportunities and benefits offered by the new technologies, one has to notice that these opportunities are not emerging spontaneously and are not realised automatically; they require a shared vision and concerted action by the state, the private sector and civil society.