From all parts of Germany, from Konstanz in the South up to Lübeck in the North, more than 20 Seniors met in Berlin on December 11th, 2002, to found an association "V i L E - Virtual and real Learning- und Competence-Network for Elder Adults".

The Managing Committee, elected for the first time, consists of responsible people of all regions of Germany: President of the association: Carmen Stadelhofer (Ulm), Vice-President: Uwe Bartholl (Stade near Hamburg), Treasurer: Günter Fischer (Günzburg near Ulm). Also Members of the Committee: Wolfgang Schleicher (Mittweida), Ulrich Leistner (Chemnitz), Erna Subklew (Frankfurt), Bernhard Hahn (Dillingen) and Christa Böger (Konstanz).

It is the aim of the association to offer a platform for people over 50 years of age to use the Internet as medium for learning and education. Thereby the experience, the knowledge and the competence of elder people should be better utilized for other people and the society. In addition to the communication, the cooperation and the education via the Internet the members should be working together in local or regional "real" groups. Other personal meetings and common learning-projects should be organized.

Basis of this association was a meeting of 55 seniors from all parts of Germany during a week of education organized by the Bundeszentrale für politische Bildung, by the Landeszentrale für politische Bildung in Baden-Württemberg and by the Zentrum für Allgemeine Wissenschaftliche Weiterbildung (ZAWiW) of the University of Ulm in Bad Urach in Summer 2001.

The association can already look back to the active business in several cities or regions: In Hamburg, Lübeck, Hannover, Leipzig, Mittweida, Dresden, Frankfurt und in the Region Ulm/Neu-Ulm are already working ViLE-Groups. The nationwide German project

with its Internet-Portal and its learning projects is a very good basis for the future activities of the association. ViLE will be also be supported by several institutes of applied sciences of education and also by the Bundesarbeitsgemeinschaft wissenschaftlicher Weiterbildung für Ältere (BAGWiWA).

People und also groups of people, who are interested in education for seniors and are already working together in projects of learning or organizing real or virtual educational programmes or events may want so see the Web-Site for further information: