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Welcome to your quarterly Age-friendly World newsletter
 
The WHO Global Network for Age-friendly Cities and Communities (GNAFCC) is now 1445 members strong, spanning 51 countries and covering over 300 million people – and the age-friendly movement shows no signs of slowing down. 
 
On 31 October, the world celebrated World Cities Day with the theme ‘Act local to go global’. There’s no better example of this theme’s relevance than our Global Network members, all contributing through their unique, local contexts to create a more age-friendly world. 
 
With the declaration of the UN Decade of Healthy Ageing (2021–2030), the Global Network’s activities have never been more important. So we’re relaunching Age-friendly World’s newsletter as a quarterly highlight and celebration of our thriving community of change makers working to create better places to live, grow, work, play, and age. 
 
Whether you’re a long-time network member or an aspiring one, welcome! And as the Global Network continues to grow, we hope you will join us in being excited for what’s coming up… Who will be the 1500th member?
 

Thiago Hérick de Sá 

GNAFCC Secretariat 

World Health Organization

Member in Focus: Stuttgart, Germany

This quarter, we’re putting the spotlight on the city of Stuttgart from Germany who joined the Global Network this year. Congratulations and welcome! 

 

As part of their network activities to become more age-friendly, the city is in the process of initiating a cross-sectoral participation process linked to a broad urban alliance involving all departments of the city administration, political actors, social partners, foundations, and older people themselves. 

 

Broad participation and co-production processes are crucial elements of any age-friendly journey, and we’re excited to see how it turns out.

Find out more about Stuttgart
Explore the Global Network

Age-friendly Practice in Focus: JOMI – Jogos da Melhor Idade 2022 (Games of the Best Age)

Age-friendly World’s Global Database of Age-friendly Practices is an ever-growing collection of concrete initiatives being done by cities and communities around the world to foster healthy ageing in diverse ways. 

We particularly enjoyed learning about Jaguariúna’s initiative to encourage its older residents to participate in an inter-city sports competition offering a range of sports covering diverse skill levels. 

Did you know that according to the WHO Global status report on physical activity 2022, 80% of adolescents and 27% of adults do not meet recommended levels of physical activity? Supporting older people to be physically active is a particularly important way to ensure we all maximise the benefits of longer lives. But let’s not forget it’s also a fun way to bring generations together! 
Read more about the practice
Learn more about physical activity

Network Affiliates' Space

Paul McGarry's top 10 tips for Age-friendly Communities (Centre for Ageing Better, UK)

Paul McGarry has been a leading voice in the world of age-friendly for many years, and currently heads Greater Manchester’s Ageing Hub. Paul has also been recognised as a Healthy Ageing 50 leader in age-friendly environments for the UN Decade of Healthy Ageing. 

 

In this blog with the Center for Ageing Better, our Global Network Affiliate for the United Kingdom, Paul shares 10 tips based on his experience for communities working to become more age-friendly.

Check out Paul's tips
Explore the Healthy Ageing 50

Building an Age-friendly Future for Queenslanders (Government of Queensland, Australia)

The Queensland Government has launched Future Directions for an Age-Friendly Queensland, which outlines their commitment to creating age-friendly communities where older Queenslanders feel connected, cared for and contribute in ways of their choosing. 

The Queensland Government is developing a contemporary and meaningful seniors strategy that is directly informed by the voices of older Queenslanders sharing their views on what an age-friendly Queensland looks like now and into the future. 

Conversations with older people are occurring through a series of events across Queensland and via an online survey.
Learn more about Future Directions

Updates from the Network Secretariat

Coming soon: a guide to develop national programmes for age-friendly cities and communities

Our Global Network is stronger thanks to the work of our many national-level Affiliates that support their cities and communities on their journey to become more age-friendly. But what if every country in the world had a national programme on age-friendly cities and communities?   

 

WHO is working on a guide to support countries develop and run such national programmes. Watch out for its release in Q1 2023!

Discover our Global Network Affiliates

Costa Rica holds the first National Congress of age-friendly cities and communities

Pura Vida! The first National Congress of age-friendly cities and communities in Costa Rica was held from 19-20 October to facilitate mutual learning and strengthen the national age-friendly movement. 

23 Costa Rican community representatives also received their Global Network membership certificates at the Congress. Congratulations! 
Read about the National Congress (in Spanish)

Age-friendly Practices submission form now available in Spanish and French

The Global Database of Age-friendly Practices is used by cities and communities around the world to learn from and be inspired by others – like you! – who are taking concrete and innovative actions to become more age-friendly. 

What practice from your city or community are you most proud of? Can you help grow the global age-friendly movement by sharing your experiences with others? 

Contribute your age-friendly practices using our submission form today – now available in French and Spanish – and get the chance to be featured on the homepage of Age-friendly World and on this newsletter. 
Submit an age-friendly practice
Explore the Global Database

Be part of the UN Decade of Healthy Ageing with the Partnering Kit 

One of the UN Decade of Healthy Ageing’s action areas is to ensure that communities foster the abilities of older people. But by working to become more age-friendly, Global Network members are already making valuable contributions to the Decade! 

There is now an exciting opportunity to visibly connect your work to a global movement, endorsed by the UN, to transform the world to be a better place to grow older. Explore the Decade Partnering Kit to learn how. 
Learn more on the Decade Platform
About us

Age-friendly World is a World Health Organization website dedicated to promoting age-friendliness around the world. The World Health Organization Global Network for Age-friendly Cities and Communities (GNAFCC) is a global coalition of cities and communities committed to becoming more age-friendly. 

Submit your news on Age-friendly World or get in touch with us at gnafcc@who.int.