International Day of Older Persons

The United Nations General Assembly designated October 1 the International Day of Older Persons in 1990. All over the world and in many Canadian cities, seniors, their organizations, union retirees and many others hold flag raising and other events on that day to honour the contribution of older persons.

The theme for the 2019 International Day of Older Persons was “The Journey to Age Equality.”

The United Nations issued a statement for the occasion saying:

“Between 2017 and 2030, the number of persons aged 60 years or over is projected to grow by 46 per cent (from 962 million to 1.4 billion) globally, outnumbering youth, as well as children under the age of 10. Moreover, this increase will be the greatest and most rapid in the developing world. Population ageing is poised to become one of the most significant social transformations of the 21st century.

“Older people have always played a significant role in society as leaders, caretakers and custodians of tradition. Yet they are also highly vulnerable, with many falling into poverty, becoming disabled or facing discrimination. As health care improves, the population of older people is growing. Their needs are also growing, as are their contributions to the world.

“The International Day of Older Persons is an opportunity to highlight the important contributions that older people make to society and raise awareness of the opportunities and challenges of ageing in today’s world.”

This article was published in:

Renewal Update No. 27, October 5, 2019

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International Day of Older Persons