Cultural mediation as a promoter of the empowerment of the elderly: the case of the cultural actions of Unati/Unicentro

Abstract

The culture has even greater relevance in the processes of coexistence and liberation of the subjects from their creation of meanings, as well as their resignification, their communication process and their socialization; integrating transformative action of these human. In this context, Cultural Mediation should be asative ed as a promoter of personal independence, through its educational essence. This study seeks to explore the cultural mediation in the activities performed by the permanent university extension program called "Universidade Aberta da Terceira Idade (Unati)". The study had an exploratory and descriptive qualitative approach. For its development, it was used the procedures of bibliographic survey, documentary research and documentary analysis. An investigation was carried out through the analysis of the guiding documents of that program and the survey of cultural actions promoted in its scope in order to understand the role of mediation of cultural information as a driver of the development and maintenance of autonomy, empowerment and emancipation of the elderly. It was concluded that within the educational perspective and inclusion tool that the practice of culture carries and aggregates, the Cultural Mediation undertaken by Unati grants the elderly who participate in it greater reflexive and critical condition, amiusing them with feelings self-esteem, achievement, capacity and appreciation in society. This autonomy and this empowerment makes them prepared to act more actively under the demands and challenges of the Information and Knowledge Society.