On Thursday October 4, the Nongovernmental Organization (NGO) Committee on Aging, in collaboration with the UN Programme on Aging, the Department of Economic and Social Affairs and the UN Department of Public Information (DPI), presented the event, 'The Challenge for the Second World Assembly on Aging: Building a Society for All Ages,' a preparatory meeting for the Second World Assembly on Aging scheduled for Madrid in April 2002.

Originally scheduled for a full day at UN headquarters, the event was down-scaled because of security concerns that have closed the UN off to the public. The event was held in an auditorium organized by The American Association of Retired Persons (AARP), a full six blocks away from the UN headquarters.

The event, which took a little over three hours, was divided into two parts and was well organized. Therese Gastaut of the Public Affairs Division of DPI moderated the first half and began the day's proceedings by offering her condolences to the victims of the September 11 terrorist attacks on the United States.

Gastaut read a statement by UN Secretary General Kofi A. Annan, who was unable to attend. "Humankind is aging," the Secretary General's statement read. "The average life expectancy at birth has increased from 46 to 66 since 1950. By mid-century, the ratio of older people in society will double from one in 10 persons to one in five. Demographic aging, long evident in developed countries, is now occurring at a swift pace in developing countries as well."

A global transformation of policy measures and the general attitudes on aging was needed, the Secretary General's statement said. All must recognize how globalization, urbanization and migration, as well as AIDS affect the place of older persons in society, the statement said.

"The Second World Assembly on Aging, to be held next April in Madrid, offers an opportunity to raise international awareness of these goals; to promote greater inter-generational solidarity, and to build on the first World Assembly 20 years ago."

Hanns Schumacher, Deputy Permanent Representative of Germany, Bagher Asadi, Chairman of the Group of 77 and Representative of the Islamic Republic of Iran and Madina B. Jarbussynova, Representative of Kazakhstan, who spoke about aging and developed countries, developing countries and countries in transition respectively.

"Aging is the central demographic issue in industrialized nations," Ambassador Schumacher said. "While developed countries have been able to gradually cope with the issue of aging, developing countries will be faced with the challenges of development and aging simultaneously. Answers to these issues can only be found by developing strategies that are tailored to specific regional demands."

Schumacher outlined three areas that the Economic Commission for Europe-the organization that is scheduled to hold the follow up to the Madrid conference in September 2002 in Berlin-should focus on.

Those areas include: Economic sustainability and sustainable growth in an aging world; age integration and inter-generational solidarity; and health and well-being in old age.

A video presentation during the first half highlighted the myriad of problems older people face, and included the story of a 68-year-old woman in Uganda who had to care for 14 grandchildren orphaned because of AIDS. The video also included the story of a 105-year-old Argentinean man forced to work in order to support himself.

"The older generation has always been important pillars in our societies," Ambassador Asadi said, "conveying wisdom, values, insight and advice that have perpetuated their active role in our lives." The Ambassador stressed the need to recognize that rapid changes in societies are already having an impact on the lives of the older persons.

"Family structures are changing; the role of government is under review; income and employment opportunities are different, pensions are not always adequate, migration of youths are on the rise and services and support systems for the elderly may be lacking."

With all the problems facing older people, it may be easy to think of older people as a "problem." The second Goodwill Ambassador, Marcel Marceau, who is a mime incidently, warned against perpetuating such stereotypes.

"The third generation is not a burden for the younger generation," he said at the end of his speech.

Nitin Desai, the Under Secretary General for Economic and Social Affairs, who moderated the second half, joked that he was an official "older person" since he recently turned 60, and said he was "very encouraged" by the meeting.

"As you can see," the Under Secretary General said, "despite all the constraints on this meeting, the commitment is evident, given the number of people who are here and the level of participation," he said. "Aging has always been an area where the NGO committee has been particularly active."

Desai also expressed his frustration at the perception of ageing as a "problem" instead of an achievement. He said it will take a global movement to address problems of aging-everything from watching their orphaned HIV-infected grandchildren to violence against older people.

"There's a huge task of raising awareness," Desai said. "Aging is not a problem. The fact that we live longer is not a problem. That should be something we should welcome. The problem lies somewhere else when they are not allowed to have proper socio-economic arrangements."

Elizabeth K. Mullen, Director of International Activities for the AARP, said she was encouraged, yet guarded in her optimism about aging issues taking center stage and becoming a global movement.

"Unfortunately we haven't seen too much commitment to making these things a reality," Mullen said.

"And I think that, well I'm hoping that with the coming of the World Assembly, the opportunity will be there to make good on the promises and the proposals that this become not only a global movement but that it's a very important matter for the United Nations to take up."