” We are one of the senior friendly city but we aim to go further than just obtaining the title as a charitable town. It’s more than a title, it’s a code that you assume, an indication that signals that the elder in the Municipality of Vila Nova de Foz Côa are given a very important status as a personal level because of their great human and social experience. They are the principal protagonists when it comes to transmit values that form our society.

“We want, through this recognition of Age-Friendly City, to continue that which has been for many decades the work of this Municipality. We know there is still a long way to go to correct some situations, but we cannot forget that a city such as Maia, with its history and dimension, implies the existence of a guideline for this work, a plan to be achieved and that will mean for right some more time. Having our people,

“This is a country where it is wonderful to be young. It must also become a country where it is wonderful to be old.”

“I am so pleased to see the progress that this group of passionate citizens has made toward the goal of ensuring this city is inclusive and accessible to our older residents. We have achieved much since our first forum on age-friendliness in 2009, including the establishment of an advisory committee and culminating in our being named among the Global Network of Age-Friendly Cities by the World Health Organization.”

“Highland Park, the city that revolutionized the automobile industry and launched the middle class with Henry Ford’s assembly line and $5/day wage, is excited to participate in the Age Friendly Community Initiative, another innovative project that will change the world.”

“Not only does the Age-Friendly Communities approach address some of the challenges Sault Ste. Marie will experience from our ageing demographics, it offers the necessary skills, tools and future planning to bring a healthy and supportive life to all ages.

“As we continue to focus on making Augusta a more liveable city, this designation shows that we are making great progress and will undoubtedly help with recruiting new businesses and residents alike.”

“The field of ageing holds so much promise to be a vehicle for social change and economic development.”

“Royan has the desire to go further in public health and to promote active ageing. It is nowadays essential not to look seniors only by the prism of dependency and nursing homes. The current expectations of seniors are not the same as those of 40 years ago and we have a duty to adapt our view. Seniors are an asset for our city and our society, and especially if we manage to preserve their dynamism and their autonomy.”

“We must build a society in which social bonds are strengthened, not only between people but also between generations, a society which brings citizens together and which refuses the isolation of individuals. All and every one of us must be given the opportunity to live freely their life project through their life course, up to their old age.”

“The age-friendly progress begins when people realize that the experience of the years already lived is to be treasured and relied on and that there is always room for new experiences, learning and joy; and when bottom-up initiatives meet top-down support.”

“In a rural inland county, Ponte de Sor asserts itself in the support of those whose spring of life has gone by, providing all the care they need.”

“The cross-generational dialogue arising from the Age-friendly City initiative is especially interesting for us, since we definitely believe it will contribute to different actions aimed at improving elderly people’s life quality as well as optimising resources. Therefore, following this conviction we joined in the project with no hesitation.”

“We want Leeds to become age-friendly in order to help meet the increasing challenges posed by demographic change. We want to celebrate and respond positively to the increasing number of older people living in Leeds and we think the best way to do that is by including and involving older people in all areas of life in our city. Older people in Leeds already make an invaluable contribution to the life of our city, but by valuing them,

“An age-friendly London is a diverse, vibrant, caring and healthy community, which empowers all individuals to age well and have opportunities to achieve their full potential.”

“The concept of continuing to create a City that works for all of its residents is of utmost importance to me as the Mayor of Sausalito. As a Council, we recognize that whatever we are able to simplify and improve for the oldest members in our community will benefit our youngest members as well.”

“Seniors play a most significant role in the Hearst community with their vast knowledge, expertise and know-how that they use to help the younger generation and the time that they devote to improving the quality of life for their fellow citizens.”

“Creating an inclusive society for the elderly and persons living with disabilities should be among our top priorities.”

“The key challenge we face is in catering for the changing needs of our older population and in creating accessible and inclusive environments that value older people, support their active participation and enable them to lead lives of quality and dignity. At the heart of the matter, we are talking about a sense of place, and a sense of belonging. Australia’s increasing longevity is something to prepare for, and at the same time, something undoubtedly to celebrate.

“Our elders, who are our ancestors, were the main workers of today’s Turkish Republic’s establishment and they are our roots. Therefore, they have been always precious and we have been holding them in high honour. We are sure that, this network will be a great asset and will make us closer to the other members. Our aim is, by maintaining common knowledge, information sharing and collaborative international project involvement, to make our elders live happily.

“I am convinced that a city friendly to the elderly, disabled and children is a friendly place for everyone. Therefore, the City of Ljubljana, together with its public institutions and enterprises, has been putting a lot of effort into ensuring the conditions that would allow a healthy, active, and thus quality life for our senior citizens.”

This gives us a positive focus for creating a City that is friendly and inclusive for all ages, and encourages us to consider the needs we all share, whatever our age. We look forward to working co-operatively across our departments and with the business, voluntary, statutory and regulatory sectors to improve quality of life for our older citizens.

The Age-friendly Belfast Plan highlights what we will do, how we will do it and the commitment of organisations to make Belfast a more Age-friendly city. We thank all the many contributors to the plan, especially the older people of Belfast who volunteered their time and offered their views and experiences.

Happiest senior citizens of the world live in Tampere in 2020.