NOTE TO CORRESPONDENTS CONFERENCE ON AGEING AND URBANIZATION TO BE HELD

27 April 1998

Press Release

NOTE TO CORRESPONDENTS CONFERENCE ON AGEING AND URBANIZATION TO BE HELD

19980427 AT HEADQUARTERS, 29 TO 30 APRIL

A Conference on the issues of ageing and urbanization will be held at United Nations Headquarters from 29 to 30 April, as part of the preparations for the 1999 International Year of Older Persons.

The theme of the Conference is "Ageing and Urbanization: Challenges and Opportunities -- Towards a Community for All". It seeks to explore two questions: "Can older persons be good for cities?" and "Can cities be good for older persons?"

The Conference is being organized by the United Nations Centre for Human Settlements (Habitat) and the secretariat for the International Year of Older Persons in cooperation with the International Council for Caring Communities.

Between 1980 and 2020, the number of older persons, aged 60 and over, is projected to increase by 240 per cent, and they will number 1.4 billion worldwide by the year 2030. By that time, 70 per cent of the world population will live in urban areas. The two parallel trends of ageing and urbanization will have an unprecedented impact on all aspects of human society.

Opening remarks at the Conference will be made by Kensaku Hogen, Under- Secretary-General for the Department of Public Information (DPI). Keynote speakers will be Penelope Coombes, Managing Director of "The People for Places and Spaces" in Sidney Australia; and Anthony Robbins, acclaimed author of "Unlimited Power" and "Awaken the Giant Within".

Ms. Coombes will address issues relating to quality of life; Mr. Robbins will speak on creative leadership.

The two-day Conference will bring together international experts in the fields of architecture, finance, media, technology, government, design, health and public/private partnerships, who will discuss issues relating to ageing and urbanization. They will also look at the needs and interests of older persons and seek ways to ensure their participation in decision-making on economic, gender-related and political issues.

- 2 - Note No. 5500 27 April 1998

Public/private partnership will be also discussed at a benefit luncheon on 29 April. Participating will be Karen Boykin-Towns, Managing Director of State Corporate Affairs at Pfizer International, and David Chernushenko, member of the International Olympic Committee's Sport and Environmental Commission.

For further information, please call Shala Mokgethi at 212/963-8104, or Gaetano Leone of Habitat, at 212/963-4200. For accreditation, contact DPI's Media Accreditation Unit (phone: 212/963-6934; fax: 212/963-4642).

Details on the programme of the Conference and registration can be found at the United Nations web site (http://www.un.org), by following the link, "What's New".

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