Experts from Norway were special guests in Cieszyn, sharing their experiences of developing an economy focused on the needs of seniors in Norwegian regions. Christian Hellevang presented the role of volunteering, how to organise leisure time, as well as activities concerning the acquisition of accessible housing for older people. Of particular relevance was information on the use of the local market for services and products designed with older people in mind. Christian Hellevang's speech was complemented by a broad discussion of the topic of accessibility achieved through universal design.

An interesting example of activities targeting seniors and local private entities was presented by Hanne Flakstad Gunnarson, who discussed the Norwegian model of support for seniors using the example of the municipality of Stord. Her presentation titled: ‘How to Live at Home for as Long as Possible, Regardless of Life's Circumstances’ focused on practical solutions to enable seniors to stay in their homes for longer periods of time, which has a significant impact on their comfort and quality of life.

Another important element of the meeting was a presentation by Knut Hjorth-Johansen, a representative of the Norwegian local government organisation, KS Kommunesektorens organisasjon, who talked about the support the organisation offers to local and regional governments in Norway and their initiatives focused on seniors.

The meeting in Cieszyn provided an excellent opportunity to share experiences and learn about solutions that can significantly help stimulate the local silver economy. A long discussion on the topic between representatives of our cities and Norwegian experts revealed the existing potential in our cities. It also showed existing barriers. The statements of many participants were particularly inspirational. They also showed how few differences there are in the approach to the possible support measures for older people. Participants expressed confidence in the well-chosen courses of action in Polish cities. The silver economy is not a parallel world for Polish cities, but it can be a real, important part of the Polish local economy. It can become a bridge for partnerships between business entities and local administration.

The meeting was held as part of the implementation of the ‘Continuation of Bilateral Cooperation between Polish, Norwegian and Icelandic Municipalities as an Example of Establishing Lasting Relations after Local Development Programme and Expanding Cooperation in the Preparation of the Next Financial Perspective’ project, which has been in progress since the spring of this year. The intention of the project is to facilitate the continuation of cooperation between all interested Norwegian/Icelandic cities/municipalities and the 53 Polish cities that participated in Phases II and III of Local Development Programme within the EEA and NMF 2014-2021, after the Local Development Programme has ended, as a bridge to the new financial perspective of the EEA and Norwegian Financial Mechanism.