International Day os Older persons marked on October 1

Elderly care, aging- associated diseases, geriatrics, issues affecting the elderly, such as senescence and elder abuse are basic problems the old are confronted to on daily basis.  October 1 will bring the plight of the old to the spotlight, while yet appreciate the contributions older people make to society.

Living up to the Secretary-General's guiding principle of "Leaving No-One Behind" necessitates the understanding that demography matters for sustainable development and that population dynamics will shape the key developmental challenges that the world in confronting in the 21st century. If our ambition is to "Build the Future We Want", we must address the population over 60 which is expected to reach 1.4 billion by 2030.

After past themes: 

• 2011: The Growing Opportunities & Challenges of Global Ageing
• 2012: Longevity: Shaping the Future
• 2013: The future we want: what older persons are saying
• 2014: Leaving No One Behind: Promoting a Society for All

 awareness campaigns on the plight of the elderly will be organised under the theme of the 2015 commemoration: “Sustainability and Age Inclusiveness in the Urban Environment”. 

  Older people play a pivotal role in African society today but their needs are often overlooked by development programmes and services. This observance, similar to National Grandparents Day in the United States and Canada as well as Double Ninth Festival in China and Respect for the Aged Day in Japan lays focus on ageing organizations and the United Nations Programme on Ageing.

On 14 December 1990, the United Nations General Assembly (by resolution 45/106) designated 1 October the International Day of Older Persons. This was preceded by initiatives such as the Vienna International Plan of Action on Ageing - which was adopted by the 1982 World Assembly on Ageing - and endorsed later that year by the UN General Assembly. In 1991, the General Assembly (by resolution 46/91) adopted the United Nations Principles for Older Persons.

In 2002, the Second World Assembly on Ageing adopted the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing, to respond to the opportunities and challenges of population ageing in the 21st century and to promote the development of a society for all ages.

THIS YEAR'S MESSAGE FROM THE SG OF THE UN

"Older persons make wide-ranging contributions to economic and social development. However, discrimination and social exclusion persist. We must overcome this bias in order to ensure a socially and economically active, secure and healthy ageing population."

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon