1 October 2026 - On 8 October, Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ DESA¡¯s Programme on Ageing, in partnership with the NGO Committee on Ageing in New York, will commemorate the under the theme ¡°The Age of Longevity: Rethinking Systems for Longer Lives.¡±
Sponsored by the Permanent Mission of Argentina to the United Nations and co-sponsored by the Group of Friends of Older Persons and the Group of Friends on Ageing and Sustainable Development, the event is expected to bring together policymakers, researchers, civil society organizations, academia, the private sector and older persons to explore how societies can transform increased longevity into opportunities for well-being, participation and shared prosperity across generations.
Increased longevity holds the promise of a ¡°longevity dividend¡± through sustained health, productivity and participation across generations. Yet longer lives do not automatically translate into healthier or more secure ones. Persistent inequalities, ageism and gaps in social protection continue to limit the benefits of increased longevity, underscoring the importance of rethinking institutions and policies to ensure healthy, dignified and equitable outcomes for all.
The programme will include a keynote address on the longevity economy from a representative of the World Economic Forum, followed by a fireside chat on ageing, accessibility and the private sector featuring a representative from Uber Technologies. A special presentation will feature a preview of Defeating Dementia, an upcoming PBS/WETA documentary on Alzheimer¡¯s disease and related dementias, highlighting the need to rethink how health systems, families and communities can better prepare for and respond to the realities of longer lives.
The programme will also feature a panel discussion moderated by the Secretary General of the International Federation on Ageing, bringing together experts from the Stanford Center on Longevity¡¯s New Map of Life Initiative, the Robert N. Butler Columbia Aging Center, the African Union Commission and the National Transfer Accounts Network at the University of California, Berkeley. Follow the event live on .