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If you've had the good fortune to know your grandparents as you grow up, you don't need a world awareness day to remind you of the role of older people in everyday life and education. But national policy decisions, growing media attention and an ageing population have compelled the United Nations to take a stand on this issue. The first International Day of Older Persons was celebrated on 1 October 1990.
Its purpose? To listen to older people's needs, highlight the physical, mental and economic abuses they face, and highlight the fundamental role of the older generation in modern society.
UN secretary general Ban Ki-Moon recently said: "By 2050, there will be twice as many old people as children in the developed countries, and the number of old people is expected to double in the developing nations." To complete the scenario, only a third benefit from global development programmes: the majority live at or below the poverty line and receive inadequate medical and social care. International organizations have been bringing about change for years, with targeted programmes such as the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing, but we all have our own small daily part to play: a word, a touch, or a smile are a reminder that beauty is ageless.
