50 countries. All joining together to stand up for older people’s rights.
It’s amazing, and here at HelpAge International, we are incredibly excited about the events about to unfold across the globe in Age Demands Action on 1 October 2010.
Action around the world
Older people from Fiji to Kyrgyzstan (and most places in between) will meet with politicians to call for better treatment and support from their governments.
They’ll be joined by thousands of activists of all ages who will be raising awareness of older people’s rights and challenging age discrimination in marches, meetings and events.
Celebrities support Age Demands Action!
And celebrites are in on the action too with Hugh Masekela joining endorsers from previous years such as Desmond Tutu, Gcina Mhlope, and Wole Soyinka.
Highlights of events
Highlights of events taking place on or around 1 October include:
–Over 700 older people will march to the Interim Commission for the Reconstruction of Haiti. They desperately need help supporting children orphaned by the earthquake. And their meeting will have an extra urgency as support is needed if these children are to attend school when the new term starts on October 4th.
-In Czech Republic, a solidarity fun run will take place so older people can learn and raise awareness of the issues older people face in developing countries. And in the Netherlands, awareness raising meetings will be held in twenty community restaurants around the country.
Hundreds of people form a human chain in Bangladesh
– In Bangladesh, a human chain of hundreds of activists will be formed and a delegation will call for an increase in the Old Age Allowance in the country and better access to healthcare.
– In the Philippines, a Walk for Life of 2000 people will take place and delegations of older people will call for the full implementation of the Expanded Senior Citizen Act which would give a pension to the poorest people over 60 in the country.
– And action will be taking place all over Latin America, with people calling for Age Friendly bus driver training in Argentina, district mayors being lobbied in Paraguay and awareness raising films being shown in bank branches across Bolivia.
Meeting with Presidents, Prime Ministers and councillors
Meetings will be at all levels of government from Presidents and Prime Ministers in Tanzania, Slovenia, Nepal, Uganda and Ethiopia, to local councillors in the rural town of Tafelkop in South Africa.
And that’s just a few of the 50 countries taking part across the world on 1 October. Older people will be taking to the streets and ensuring that their voices are heard by their governments. We will be posting updates regularly both here and on Twitter so you can keep up to date with events as they happen. Only a week to go!