30 March 2012 – A growing number of cities and communities worldwide are striving to better meet the needs of their older residents. The WHO Global Network of Age-friendly Cities and Communities (the Network) was established to foster the exchange of experience and mutual learning between cities and communities worldwide. Any city or community that is committed to creating inclusive and accessible urban environments to benefit their ageing populations is welcome to join.
Cities and communities in the Network are of different sizes and are located in different parts of the world. Their efforts to become more age-friendly take place within very diverse cultural and socio-economic contexts. What all members of the Network do have in common is the desire and commitment to create physical and social urban environments that promote healthy and active ageing and a good quality of life for their older residents.
WHO activities
With the Network, WHO provides a global platform for information exchange, mutual support through the sharing of experience. Furthermore, WHO provides guidance and promotes the generation of knowledge on how to assess the age-friendliness of a city or community, how to integrate an ageing perspective in urban planning and how to create age-friendly urban environments.
SOURCE: World Health Organization