PRESS RELEASE
Brussels, 18 June 2019
AGE General Assembly and Annual Conference 2019
‘Life is intergenerational by nature and so should EU action’, claimed older people across Europe gathered at AGE General Assembly last week. ‘We stand side by side with young people expressing our mutual concern for the planet and fight for a sustainable future’, they added, addressing a clear call to the newly elected European Parliament and the future European Commission.
‘For us this is too late, we are fighting for the pensions of future pensioners’, stated an older activist invited at AGE Annual Conference on 13 June.
Representing 106 organisations of and/or working for older people, delegates of AGE Platform Europe’s members from 24 countries gathered for their annual General Assembly and Annual Conference from 12 to 14 June 2019, to express their wish to engage with our political and institutional actors to find solutions and address demographic and climate challenges.
Collectively they agree that a change of mindset is needed, which respects the rights of ALL generations to fully contribute to and benefit from a more sustainable, equal and inclusive EU.
In times of austerity age discrimination and ageism tend to prevail, whilst it is exactly the contrary that is needed to address the needs of rapidly ageing societies.
“Pervasive age stereotypes and discrimination are a clear barrier to the equal participation of older persons. Yet, participation at all stages of life is essential to achieve a sustainable, cohesive and prosperous society”, states Ebbe Johansen, President of AGE Platform Europe. “Policy makers at all levels have here clearly their share of responsibility.”
Structural inequalities concern us all, because it impacts us all throughout our lives.
It is time for policy makers at all levels to take action against age discrimination and ageism, and adopt a comprehensive life-course approach that supports solidarity within and between age groups. This will benefit society as a whole, while enabling EU leaders to fulfil the pledge they made in Sibiu “to protect our way of life, democracy and the rule of law and to uphold the principle of fairness”.
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More information:
- AGE General Assembly Final Declaration: English – French – Italian – Portuguese
- AGE Manifesto for the European elections: 7 proposals to EU leaders
Contact: Anne Mélard, AGE Information & Communication Officer, anne.melard@age-platform.eu
