UNFPA Observes 2005 International Day of Older Persons in Turkmenistan

TURKMENBASHI, Turkmenistan — The contributions of Turkmenistan’s seniors to their country were acknowledged in two days of festivities in the Caspian Sea city of Turkmenbashi. This observation of the International Day of Older Persons (1 October) was organized by the UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, in collaboration with the Ministry of Social Welfare.

Festivities began on 30 September with traditional dances and songs from the 1950s and 1960s in Turkmen and Russian, which took seniors back to their younger days. On the following day, they were honoured by representatives from the Ministry of Social Welfare, the Deputy Mayor of the Balkan region and other guests at a public gathering. The audience was touched by the acknowledgement of those who had defended the Motherland and by the remembrance of those who had died during World War II. The event was broadcast on national television.

UNFPA has been at the forefront of raising awareness of the issue of ageing and the need to address the special needs of the elderly. Income security of older persons is an issue of particular interest to UNFPA, especially as traditional family-based systems for providing old-age care weaken, leaving the elderly vulnerable. The International Day of Older Persons, a globally recognized event, has been observed annually since its designation in 1990 by a resolution of the United Nations General Assembly.

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