The central theme of the 2019 commemoration is “The journey to age equality”. We are living in a world undergoing radical demographic changes. Next year, for the first time in history, the number of people over sixty-five is expected to exceed the number of children five and younger. Unfortunately, older people still suffer from inequality and exclusion. The participation of older persons in society and acknowledgement of their social, cultural, economic and political contributions to their home environment are important factors in efforts to eliminate negative stereotypes and prejudice.

The ministry is therefore calling for a global compact to address the issues of the elderly in order to ensure a more active role for them in society. Slovenia strongly supports the demands to respect the dignity and human rights of older persons, to appropriately mainstream their protection in the international legal framework and to address these rights both within international bodies and through independent mechanisms involved in human rights.

The ministry also supported the exhibition Ageing: Society for Everybody, which is part of the 19th Festival for the Third Life Period starting today. The artwork exhibited highlights the importance of not discriminating against and including older persons, which strengthens intergenerational ties.