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

Member in Focus: Kraków, Poland

Since the end of 2013, when the Dublin Declaration was signed, Kraków has systematically worked to become an age-friendly city. Krakow’s age-friendliness encompasses providing both assistance to older residents of Kraków and a wide range of activities aimed at motivating older people to take responsibility for their health, building a positive image of Krakow’s older residents, and integrating generations together.
The current Programme of Social Activity and Integration of Older People for 2021-2025 is aimed at residents of the City of Kraków who have reached the age of 60. Its goal…
Read moreAge-friendly Practice in Focus: Digital Competence Training Programme

Digital Competence training has been started in order to get older adults to participate more effectively in social life and to increase inclusiveness!
The pandemic, which the world has been struggling with for 2 years, and rapidly developing digital technologies have changed the traditional structures and methods of life, from learning styles to working conditions. Now, holidays are celebrated with video phone calls, students attend classes on the computer, and grocery shopping is done without leaving home.
People aged 65 and over however can often not benefit from the advantages of this digital age. According to data from the Turkish Statistical Institute (TUIK), internet usage is common among 79 percent of the general population. This rate however drops to 27.1 among older citizens. In light of this disparity, Muratpaşa Municipality in Antalya started a training program entitled ‘Digital Competence’ to improve the digital skills of older people and remove barriers to accessing digital services. The training…
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.

Adding life to years


Andreia Merícia Polido de Almeida


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


Iain Deboys


Anna-Kaisa Ikonen


António Gonçalves Bragança Fernandes


Ethel Percy Andrus


Brenda Halloran


DeAndre Windom


Gwen Hassall


Debbie Amaroso


Deke Copenhaver

Dorian Block

Dr Jane Barratt


Éliane Ciraud-Lanoue


François Rebsamen


Gulnara Minnigaleeva


Hugo Luís Pereira Hilário

Jason Kitkat

Josep Visa Bonet

Kathi Bailey

Adam Ogilvie


London, Canada Community


Ray Withy

Robert Reichert

Roger Sigouin


Senarath Attanayake


Shane Rattenbury


Umit Uysal

Vincent C. Gray

Zoran Janković
