Global Issues

As announced on the International Federation on Ageing’s (IFA) website, “IFA’s 9th Global Conference on Ageing will take place in Montréal, Canada, from September 4 to 7, 2008.  The event is being hosted by a new NGO 'Ageing Design Montreal,' and will combine the IFA’s biannual flagship global conference on ageing with the international debut of our new exhibition series on Ageing and Design.”

Some 50 delegates from cities around the globe are expected to attend the one-day meeting in September in Montreal to “exchange information and solidify the foundations” of the Age-Friendly Cities project. Initiated under the World Health Organization’s (WHO) policy Framework on Active Ageing (2002) and the commitment of many governments and NGOs, many nations have begun to make their environments safer and more friendly to their senior citizens in order to promote a healthy, active lifestyle for them. Previous meetings have been held in Istanbul, London and Germany.

In an effort to create a more friendly environment as the population ages at an accelerated rate, cities and communities have already begun to adapt their services and infrastructure to ensure the quality of life for seniors. The meeting will provide their representatives with the opportunity to share their strategies, as well as their successes and their challenges.

In conjunction with the global conference, the IFA will host a Senior Government Officials Meeting to “focus specifically on issues related to aging-in-place.” The officials will be able to discuss “current trends and factors of success in policy and practices of aging-in-place.” As described in the press release regarding the conference, “aging-in-place is a concept that creates opportunities for older people to live with dignity and safety, based on the type of accommodations that meet their own needs. The objective is to develop an environment that provides support (if necessary) and financial and social infrastructure that optimizes healthy and active aging.” Not only must governments on all levels respond to this growing need, but the private sector, as well.

For more information on the conference and related topics, go to the IFA website, www.ifa-fiv.org .