Heritage Foundation in collaboration with the Ministry of Social Justice Empowerment, Govt of India, hosted the ‘International Day of Older Persons’

Hyderabad,
October 18^th, 2019 : The International Day of Older Persons is observed in the
month of  October,  every year as per the resolution of the
United Nations General Assembly on December 14, 1990. This day is celebrated by
raising awareness about issues affecting the elderly as elder abuse, besides to
appreciate the contributions that older people make to society.

Chief
Guest Dr.
H C Sridhara Reddy, Deputy Director (Trg. & Old Age Care), National Institute of Social Defence, Ministry of Social Justice &
Empowerment, Government of India; inaugurated the International Day of Older Persons – 2019 celebrations; hosted by Heritage
Foundation Regional Resource & Training Centre and Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of
India, on Friday at Hari Hara Kala Bhavan.

Also present were Guests of Honour Inder Balla, President, All India Senior Citizens Federation; V Mohan Reddy, Ex MLA & President, Senior Citizens Federation
& Member, State council on Older Persons, Telangana State; Lion P Ravindranath Gupta mjf, Lions
District Governor 320C; Lion Jagan Mohan
Reddy, Former Lions District Governor 320C and Mr K R
Gangadharan,
Founder, Heritage Foundation.

‘The
Journey to Age Equality’ is this year’s theme. The 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable
Development Goals (SDGs) recognize that development will only be achievable if
it is inclusive of all ages. Empowering older persons in all dimensions of
development, including promoting their active participation in the social,
economic and political lives is one way to ensure their inclusiveness and
reduce inequalities.

The 2019 theme is aligned with Sustainable
Development Goal (SDG) 10. The theme aims to “ensure equal opportunity and
reduce inequalities of outcome,” including through measures to eliminate
discrimination, and to “empower and promote the social, economic and political
inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity,
origin, religion or economic or other status.”

Often, disparities in old age
reflect an accumulated disadvantage characterized by factors such as: location,
gender, socio‐economic status, health, income etc.

The objectives of the 2019 ‘International Day of Older Persons’ are:

• To help draw attention to the existence of
old age inequality, and how this often results from a cumulation of
disadvantages throughout life – and highlight intergenerational risk of
increased old age inequality.

• To bring awareness to the urgency of coping
with existing and preventing future old age inequality.

• To explore societal and structural changes
in view of life course policies: life-long learning, proactive and adaptive
labour policies, social protection and universal health coverage.

• To reflect on best practice, lessons and
progress on the journey to ending older age inequality and changing negative
narratives and stereotypes involving “older age”.

Earlier in the
morning over 600 Senior Citizens, including 40 of the 80+ year olds,
participated in a Walkathon organized to mark the day. The Walkathon was
organised from the Mahboob College to Hari Hara Kala Bhavan in
Secunderabad. Over 200 school children joined in it and
cheered the Senior citizens.

Heritage
Foundation
(ESTD:1994), Regional Resource and Training Centre for Telangana, Tamil Nadu
and Andaman and Nicobar Islands  has been
chosen by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India
to observe this celebrations at Hyderabad on 18th October 2019.

 All
this information is given in a Press release.

विश्व की अनमोल धरोहर हैं ‘‘वृद्धजन’’ | 1 अक्टूबर – अन्तर्राष्ट्रीय वृद्धजन दिवस

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