Report on the celebrations of the International Day of Older Persons from the United Nations

With the theme “A Call for a Convention on the Rights of Older Persons, the 18th annual celebration of the International Day of Older Persons was held at the United Nations on October 2, 2008. Attended by over 500 people including representatives of UN Missions, NGOs and members of the public, the full-day program opened with a message from UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon pointing out that the day’s theme was “especially apt in this year which marks the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights”. He went on to state that “The International Day is an opportunity to stimulate discussion on promoting the rights of older persons and strengthen partnerships aimed at securing their full participation in society. Let us redouble our efforts to realize the rights of older persons and make the dream of a society for all ages a reality”.

The keynote speakers His Excellency Minister Paulo de Tarso Vannuchi, Special Secretary for Human Rights, Brazil and Sergei Zelenev, Chief, Social Integration Branch, Department of Social and Economic Affairs, United Nations noted that the rights of older persons are often overlooked, and therefore legally binding, age-specific policies that promote empowerment and respect for older people and would give needed teeth to the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing. The speakers also cautioned that much effort and many partners will be required to achieve an international convention on the rights of older persons.

The seminar at the United Nations 

Following the keynote addresses, regional perspectives on the status of older persons and the extent to which they are held in respect were presented by speakers from Ghana, Argentina, Lebanon, the Czech Republic and Nepal. The afternoon program offered attendees an opportunity to express their views on strategies that could be employed in working toward a Convention on the Rights of Older Persons.