Population ageing is a global phenomenon. Populations around the world are ageing at a faster pace than in the past.
According to the UN, virtually every country in the world is experiencing growth in the size and proportion of older persons in their population. Globally, the share of the population aged 65 years or over increased from 6% in 1990 to 9% in 2019. That proportion is projected to rise further to 16% by 2050, so that one in six people in the world will be aged 65 years or over.
However, despite this inevitable truth, our societies do not seem ready to respond to the challenges arising due to prolonged life expectancy. Ageism, loneliness, social exclusion, and digital illiteracy figure among the main concerns our elders are confronted with.
This sad reality tends to be substantially underestimated in Greece and this low level of interest is reflected in the inadequate public funding and the little attention that the concept of «Active Ageing» has been receiving in the public debate.
Envisioning a new narrative about ageing
Aspiring for more inclusive communities, where there will be equal space for people from all walks of life regardless of their sex, religion, cultural background, and age, we, in Athens Birthday Project, strongly believe that it is about time we launched a new collective vision about ageing. In this direction, we want to raise awareness for the need to make ageing visible and take initiatives that will:
- Foster intergenerational dialogue and solidarity
- Promote innovations on the topics of education and lifelong learning
- Empower older people in order to deploy their full potential
- Support an active attitude towards life
- Encourage participation and social engagement
To achieve all the aforementioned, we want to work within the communities, leveraging the power of human connection in order to build bridges across generations, initiate local community actions for people at risk of isolation, and ensure healthier, longer, and rewarding lives.
