On October 1, Age Demands Action

Voices of the aged population around the world are often silenced and/or suppressed. But on October 1, known as the UN International Day of Older Persons, this segment of the global population will unite their voices as part of the Age Demands Action 2008 campaign.

Delegates in participating countries will meet with government officials and present their calls for action, specifically demanding the inclusion of older persons in development policies.

You can help in various ways.

1. Sign the global petition calling for rights of older persons to be included in development policy and practice. Don't forget to forward it to your friends.


2. Educate yourself (and others) on the Age Demands Campaign by visiting their website and reading the demands being made.


3. Visit the blogs (see links below) created by the Muthande Society for the Aged during a workshop conducted by Rising Voices in Durban, South Africa.

Read, in their own words, the experiences lived through by the aged community in Durban. And please, leave comments on their blogs to encourage them to keep sharing their valuable life stories.

http://durbanphindi.wordpress.com/
http://muthande.wordpress.com/
http://lizmkame.wordpress.com/
http://hthembekile.wordpress.com/
http://abadala.wordpress.com/


4. Watch this video, and pass it on.

Age Demands Action - Voices around the World



There's a reason the Age Demands Action campaign was started; the majority of older persons have enough life experience to fill an entire senate floor, so why must they insist on being heard? This should give us pause, and should drive us to unite with them in a call for their voices to be heard loud and clear. They deserve nothing less.