National programmes for age-friendly cities and communities: a guide

Member in Focus: Vienna, Austria

Vienna has nearly two million residents, with over 400,000 aged 60 and over. A wealth of green space, social housing, an excellent health-care system, extensive social welfare services and its pursuit of innovative and sustainable development characterize Vienna. The city makes every effort not to leave anybody behind – independent of their gender, ethnic background, sexual orientation, financial means, or age.
Senior citizens are an important target group in all areas of life in Vienna, such as housing, mobility, safety, and health. Vienna’s goal is to enable older people to…
Age-friendly Practice in Focus: A book on Strategies for Creating an Age-friendly City (Hong Kong)

The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust has partnered with Hong Kong’s four gerontology research institutes to implement the Jockey Club Age-friendly City Project (“JCAFC Project”) since 2015. The JCAFC Project aimed to promote an age-friendly culture in all 18 districts of Hong Kong. A unique model of bottom-up, district-based, multi-sectoral collaboration and evidence-based approach were adopted in building Hong Kong to an age-friendly city (“AFC”) which can cater for the needs of different ages. The book “Strategies for Creating an Age-friendly City: Hong Kong as a case study” thoroughly chronicles the strategies adopted by Jockey Club Age-friendly City Project in advancing age-friendly city movement in Hong Kong and its social impact, explores the origins of the concept of an age-friendly city and its development globally and in Hong Kong, as well as provides recommendations for the future advancement of age-friendly cities.
Read moreTāmaki Makaurau Auckland, New Zealand, joins the WHO Global Network for Age-friendly Cities and Communities
Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland (Tāmaki Makaurau) has adopted the Tāmaki Makaurau Tauawhi Kaumātua – Age-friendly Tāmaki Makaurau Action Plan and joined the WHO Global Network for Age-friendly Cities and Communities (GNAFCC). This is a major achievement for Aotearoa New Zealand’s largest city which is home to around one-third of all New Zealanders. By 2043, the city’s population is projected to increase from 1.57 to 2.3 million and the proportion of Aucklanders aged 65+ is expected to grow from 12 percent (189,000) to 19 percent (432,000). Tāmaki Makaurau is also one of the most diverse cities in the world: 44 percent of its older population were born overseas, 10 percent of older residents do not speak English, it has the country’s largest population of Māori (indigenous New Zealanders), and the world’s biggest Polynesian population.
Tāmaki Makaurau Tauawhi Kaumātua 2022-2027 recognises the city’s diversity, particularly the unique cultural identity of Māori. It integrates the WHO Age-friendly domains with Māori values and Te Whare Tapa Whā, a Māori holistic wellbeing framework. It reflects over three years of collaborative work between Auckland Council, the community, civil society and aged care organisations.
Four other Aotearoa New Zealand communities are also members: Nelson, Gore, Hamilton, and New Plymouth. Around 15 other communities have developed Age-friendly strategies and plans with the support of the Age-friendly Aotearoa New Zealand Programme. These plans are helping to give effect to the Better Later Life He Oranga Kaumātua 2019 to 2034 Strategy, Aotearoa New Zealand’s strategy for an ageing population.
Age-friendly Environments Mentoring Programme (MENTOR-AFE)
Do you want to be more skilled at transforming your city or community to be a better place for people of all ages? The Age-friendly Environments Mentoring Programme (MENTOR-AFE) is a distance mentoring programme, established to develop skills to lead, influence and implement age-friendly cities and communities. Over a 12 month period, a mentor will provide guidance and support to enable a mentee to develop the specific skills they need to advance their work on age-friendly environments. Mentorship will be unique to the mentee’s development needs, the mentor’s skills, and the time and energy committed to the relationship.
Applications for the 2021 round of MENTOR-AFE have now closed. Applicants will be notified of their outcomes shortly.
To express your interest for future rounds of MENTOR-AFE, please email gnafcc@who.int.
Cardiff: The first in Wales to join the Global Network for Age-friendly Cities and Communities
The capital city of Wales, Cardiff, is the first location in the country to join the WHO Global Network for Age-friendly Cities and Communities (GNAFCC).
Recognising older people as a respected and diverse population who should be enabled to participate in and contribute to all spheres of life is central to Cardiff’s age-friendly city action plan, which combines various strategies developed in consultation with older people. The plan includes commitments to older members of the population, relating to dimensions of life such as housing, transport, and participation in valued activities.
Age Friendly Wales: Our Strategy for an Ageing Society sets out actions the Welsh Government will take to reap the benefits of the growing number of older people in Wales. As an Affiliate of GNAFCC, the Older People’s Commissioner for Wales has been pleased to work with and support Cardiff in reaching this important milestone in its journey towards becoming an age-friendly city – an important step forward in the ambition of creating an age-friendly Wales.

Umit Uysal

Kathi Bailey

Adam Ogilvie


London, Canada Community


Ray Withy

Robert Reichert

Roger Sigouin


Senarath Attanayake


Shane Rattenbury


Josep Visa Bonet

Vincent C. Gray

Zoran Janković


Gwen Hassall


Iain Deboys


Anna-Kaisa Ikonen


Adding life to years


Nuestro grano de arena a la Red Global de Ciudades Amigables con las personas mayores!
A su vez, en la generación de opciones para que esta población mantenga una calidad de vida digna. Donde se fomente la formación y educación permanente, los espacios de salud mental y de relación con pares.
Queremos aportar en la transformación de roles de la población adulta mayor, donde pasen de ser sujetos pasivos a sujetos autónomos!
Ana Victoria Madrigal Boza, Oficina de Bienestar Social y Familia, Área Desarrollo Humano y Cohesión Social, Municipalidad de Mora
Ana Victoria Madrigal Boza, Oficina de Bienestar Social y Familia, Área Desarrollo Humano y Cohesión Social, Municipalidad de Mora

Jason Kitkat

Hugo Luís Pereira Hilário


Gulnara Minnigaleeva


François Rebsamen


Éliane Ciraud-Lanoue


Dr Jane Barratt

Dorian Block

Deke Copenhaver


Debbie Amaroso


DeAndre Windom


Brenda Halloran


Ethel Percy Andrus


António Gonçalves Bragança Fernandes


Andreia Merícia Polido de Almeida
