The importance of friendship to the elderly population has been being observed in specific literature on aging (Goldman, 2003; Peixoto, 1997) as the motivation presented for the inclusion of this segment in the projects and programs of the Universidades da Terceira Idade - UNATIs (Senior Citizens Universities). The relevance of the political dimension of friendship as a recurring practice by the elderly of the Senior Collaborators project at UnATI/UERJ was mentioned in Cuba s study (2005), signaling the need for further study. The conquest of a progressive increase on senior population and the heterogeneity of the aging process in Brazil that instigate isolation; inequality, prejudice and stereotypes affecting the senior generation and the incomplete fulfillment of their rights, asserted in the Statute of the Elderly (2003), have been essential for this study, which was developed at the Senior Citizen s Integrated University - UNITI / UFMA and at the Senior Citizens Open University — UnATI/UERJ. Its goal is to understand the meaning of the phenomenon of friendship and its relevance to the enlargement of citizenship for the elderly at these universities. The qualitative research was developed through meetings and interviews with seniors and professionals working in these spaces. Observations have also been made in the public sphere, with focus on places where elderly population is present in San Luis and Rio de Janeiro, especially where they meet. Interviews, as well as meetings, have formed a dialogue based on a script with semi-structured questions and were guided by the discussion of topics such as friendship, politics, rights, citizenship. Hannah Arendt s political theory underlies the present study, and in the light of this author s understanding, subjects reports have been analyzed. The research includes 117 subjects: 81 of them in São Luis, being 09 men and 72 women; and 36 of them in Rio de Janeiro, being 03 men and 33 women. The main results show the great importance of friendship to the elderly, whose definition, features and dimensions were understood similarly between them. The elderly at UNITI emphasize happiness and quality of life, associated with friendship and rights. At UnATI, the elderly stressed justice, care related to friendship. At UNITI/UFMA, seniors have a strong presence on boards and forums, associations and parties. Besides, they attend Bumba-Meu-Boi festivities, shopping malls and other places of public sphere with family and friends. Elderly at UnATI/UERJ express themselves in theater activities, various dances and have a strong presence in the Project Coordinators Forums and Senior Citizens Programmes. In the public sphere of the city of Rio de Janeiro, they meet at shopping malls, the beach, on the streets, usually alone or accompanied by friends and, less frequently, they are with their families. In addition to valuing friendship as a source of social support, associated with subjective well-being, they show the political aspect of friendship, since they exercise it as an action in the public space, through candid and open dialogue with diverse content that allows the fulfillment of rights and the extension of their citizenship.