The United Nations General Assembly decided to observe the International Year of Older Persons "in recognition of humanity's demographic coming of age" and the promise that holds for "maturing attitudes and capabilities in social, economic, cultural and spiritual undertakings" (General Assembly resolution 47/5, 1992).

For more information, visit the United Nations website at:

www.un.org/dpcsd/dspd/iyop.htm

The following are some quotes taken from the website:

Situation of older persons

"...the transition to a positive, active and developmentally oriented view of ageing may well result from action by elderly people themselves, through the sheer force of their growing numbers and influence. The collective consciousness of being elderly, as a socially unifying concept, can in that way become a positive factor" (International Plan of Action on Ageing, 1/para. 32).

Life-long individual development

"Ageing is a life-long process and should be recognized as such. Preparation of the entire population for the later stages of life should be an integral part of social policies and encompass physical, psychological, cultural, religious, spiritual, economic, health and other factors" (International Plan of Action on Ageing, para. 25 (i)).

Multi-generational relationships

"The respect and care for the elderly, which has been one of the few constants in human culture everywhere, reflects a basic interplay between self-preserving and society-preserving impulses which has conditioned the survival and progress of the human race" (International Plan of Action on Ageing, para. 27).

Development and the ageing of populations

"Countries should recognize and take into account their demographic trends and changes in the structure of their populations in order to optimize their development" (International Plan of Action on Ageing, para.13).