AC99 - Newsletter and IYOP Initiatives

	Newsletter and IYOP Initiatives Australian Coalition '99

AC '99 Update - Edition No. 3 (August 1998)
INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Global Embrace in 1999

The World Health Organisation is organising a walking event on 1 October 1999 as part of the Global Embrace 1999, a 24-hour walk around the clock, giant walk event to celebrate ageing around the world. Starting in the Pacific where the date line marks the start of a new day, the first walk event will be in Tonga, New Zealand, followed by Australia, then Japan, Korea, China, Thailand, Indonesia and India. Eventually the Middle East will be reached, Africa, Europe, the Americas, until the very last cities in the Pacific will close the day and the embrace. All cities, large and small are welcome to join and bring their ideas and cultural perspectives to the events to make the walks their own.

For guidelines of this event, please contact the AC '99 National Secretariat.
or
Professor Edmond Chiu, Associate Director and Director of Geriatric Psychiatry
Telephone: (03) 9272 0485 Fax: (03) 9272 0477

INTERNATIONAL IYOP PLANS

Cambodia

The Cambodian Association for the Elderly is encouraging older people to participate in a number of activities, including the monitoring of free and fair elections in 1998, in training and counselling programs on HIV/ AIDS, and healthy lifestyles and sanitation practices. Older people are being integrated into rural development programs and are being encouraged to pass their traditional knowledge on to younger people through intergenerational workshops.

India

A series of joint programs with leading NGOs have included a series of regional workshops and one national conference on the 21st Century: New Environment for the Elderly- making a Transition. There are many initiatives being planned for ’99 including a country-wide media campaign advocating the need to undertake life long preparation for old age, and a commemorative calendar for the International Year. A nationwide society/ association for older persons will be launched, and partnership programs between older persons and school children are underway. Another initiative is a publishing project aiming to capture reflections on the 50 years of India’s independence (held by people 60 years +) and the prospects for the next 50 years.

New Zealand

Age Concern is planning a number of activities leading up to IYOP. Among them are a poster competition to launch the theme, "towards a society for all ages", organised walks for the International Day for older persons in preparation for the global walk in 1999; a "Successful Ageing" project which is designed to reduce the incidence of depression among older people; and an "Older People in the Media" project. Focus seminars will be held throughout 1998 around NZ to explore "transition to older age" issues across cultures and age groups (40 years and older). An information and education resource will be developed from the seminars and will be used in a series of community workshops to be held throughout 1999. The Older People and the Media project will assess the predominant images of older people as portrayed in the media and challenge stereotypes.

A booklet will be produced to encourage older people to articulate what portrayals of older people are acceptable, and to inform the media about how to accurately depict an ageing population.

Thailand

Various exhibitions are being planned that relate to ageing issues such as health care, nutrition in old age, self-caring and other social services provided for older persons in Bangkok and other large cities. Thailand is also planning to produce commemorative stamps in recognition of IYOP, as well as organising seminars and conferences throughout the year based on the theme of a "Society for all Ages". Efforts are also underway to design programs and other long term measures in support of older persons and to turn national policies into action.