Rafaela Prifti/
For the second consecutive year, Arjanita (Ariana) Elezaj chaired the UN International Day of Older Persons at the UN Headquarters on the designated day for the community. The theme of 2025 Summit was Older Persons Driving Local and Global Action: Our Aspirations, Our Well-being, Our Rights.
Ariana Elezaj, Chair of the UNIDOP 2025 Programme Sub-Committee of the NGO Committee on Ageing in New York thanked each of the agencies including DESA and all the groups, speakers and representatives of member states, Argentina, Chile, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, that collaborated for today’s summit.
In his opening remarks, William Smith, Chair of the NGO Committee on Ageing in New York, summed up the priorities of the program in three areas: Healthcare, Financial Security and Social Inclusion.
The keynote address by Jeannette Takamura, Professor and Dean Emerita of the Columbia University School of Social Work, presentations by an excellent panel of speakers and two video messages reinforced the point of the urgency of inclusion of older persons and “moving from words to actions”.
What is it about?
In one word: preparedness. From a list of statistics, what stands out is that the 60+ community will constitute 1.4 billion of the world’s population and in 2050 that number will double.
One more statistic:
Currently in the US the number of people that are in the 60s and older group is bigger than the group that is 18 and older.
Why it matters?
The age expectancy is now at 78. While medicine has advanced, our policies have not. The impact for the country’s population, economy and society overall can be vast.
What to do? Get involved. Promote a universal convention launched in Geneva to establish an International Body to strengthen the protection of Human Rights of Older Persons.
The challenges and issues of aging concern all of us. To that end supporters are truly valuable. Fotini (Foti) Kokeri of Kosloski Family Foundation joined New York NGO Committee on Ageing last year after being introduced to it by Ariana Elezaj. Ms. Kokeri said she was thrilled to be at this year’s Summit “to share a meaningful commitment to the New York NGO Committee on Ageing. I have witnessed firsthand how NGO programs empower and uplift older adults, whose life experiences and wisdom are invaluable to our communities”
The two superstars of today’s summit were Edilia Camargo Villarreal, Ph.D, Former UNESCO Population Education Programme Specialist and Master Athlete Women 85-89 category and Dr. Howard Tucker, the 103 year old Neurologist and Adjunct Professor at Case Western University. Both of them exemplify the message of the summit – older persons are valuable and essential for a prosperous society.
“I was profoundly inspired by Dr. Howard Tucker’s speech—103 years of experience, boundless curiosity, and a lifetime of learning. His example reminds us that age is not a limit but a reservoir of insight and leadership,” said Ms. Kokeri. She shared a personal story that is deeply meaningful that also resonates on this day: “For over 17 years, I have had the privilege of working with Helene Kosloski. Helene joined me in the journey when she was 72, and I learned so much from her wisdom in business, real estate, and life. I deeply miss her since she passed away at 90. Saying I graduated from the “Kosloski University” is a heartfelt tribute to the invaluable education she provided—practical, principled, and transformative. Her life experiences continue to inspire my work and commitment to our community.”
Already committed to the mission, Ms. Kokeri says that “she looks forward to supporting and to being present at the next AGO event. I’m excited not only to continue my involvement with the NGO Committee but to actively contribute and advocate for programs that celebrate and empower older adults.”
To learn more about the program and ways you can help, please go to Http://ngocoa-ny.org/