PRESS CONFERENCE BY MARCEL MARCEAU

Following his designation as a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Second World Assembly on Ageing, legendary artist Marcel Marceau told correspondents that ageing should not be seen merely as time or numbers.  Rather, it should be considered a process of learning, through which the contributions of the young, as well as older persons, could enrich the world.

Mr. Marceau, often referred to as the world’s greatest mime, said he would use his art form to promote awareness of the Assembly, scheduled to be held in Madrid, from 8 to 12 April 2002.  Although he had often been described as a man of few words, he told reporters that silence did not really exist.  Indeed, his ability to touch people went beyond his costumes and make-up.  “When you believe in your art and perform at the highest level”, he said, “you can speak to humanity.”

Mr. Marceau was introduced by Thérèse Gastaut, Director, Public Affairs Division, Department of Public Information.  Ms. Gastaut recalled that at last year’s summit of all Goodwill Ambassadors and Messengers of Peace, the Secretary-General had emphasized the extraordinary contribution of artists in promoting the United Nations’ number one priority:  reaching out to all the world’s peoples.

“Today we are very fortunate to have a new ally”, Ms. Gastaut said, “an artist of world renown who speaks with the universal language of mime.”  As an internationally renowned artistic icon and role model, Mr. Marceau was ideally suited to serve as the first Goodwill Ambassador for the Second World Assembly.

Also participating in the press conference was Nitin Desai, Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs.  Mr. Desai said he would try and discuss the importance of the upcoming World Assembly without using the phrase:  “the problem of ageing”.  “The fact that we are living longer is not a problem, it’s an achievement”, he said.  The problem was that social and institutional frameworks had not adjusted to address the repercussions of the dramatic growth of world’s older populations.  Managing the coming demographic “agequake” would be particularly challenging for the developing world, where heretofore the focus had been on addressing rapid growth among younger populations. 

But over the next 20 years, he continued, the number of older persons in the developing world was expected to rise sharply, from 8 per cent to perhaps 20 per cent.  So while some developing countries benefited from traditional social structures that were respectful of older persons, their institutional structures were in no way ready to handle such rapid growth.  While the upcoming Assembly would focus on a plan of action, it would also identify ways to raise awareness about the issue of ageing.  That was where the contribution of Mr. Marceau would be invaluable, Mr. Desai said. 

Older persons had an awesome responsibility to younger and future generations, Mr. Marceau said.  Of most importance was to ensure that past history did not repeat itself.  He asked reporters to think about the atrocities that mankind had perpetrated.  Imagine what the world lost in the holocaust alone; not

only were 6 million Jews massacred, but perhaps the person who could have discovered the cure for HIV/AIDS was lost.

A correspondent wondered if Mr. Marceau could use his art to ease the tensions in the Middle East.  Mr. Marceau said that he had, indeed, performed in the region.  And while solving the serious problems there were best left to politicians, he would always use the weapons at his disposal -– his art, his body and his heart -– to promote peace and unity.  Indeed, he had performed all over the world and his experience helped him bring the beauty and legacy of his art form to a wide audience.

Another correspondent said that while Mr. Marceau often used few words, he was aligning himself with an organization that had often been characterized by too much talk.  What was his assessment of the United Nations?

As an organization that searched for peace and unity, Mr. Marceau said, the United Nations rightly looked beyond words and sought to identify the necessary actions through which its principles could be effected.  To that end, he hoped that the upcoming Assembly would be action oriented, with a particular focus on education.

A correspondent noted that Mr. Marceau had just celebrated his seventy-eighth birthday and wondered what it was that kept him so youthful.  Mr. Marceau said he was indeed very lucky to have as his exercise the nearly 200 performances he gave each year.

Also at the press conference was Odile Frank, Chief, Social Integration Branch, United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs.

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