Govt to celebrate International Day of Older Persons with new initiatives

New Delhi, Sep 30 (PTI) The Department of Social Justice and Empowerment will celebrate the International Day of Older Persons on October 1 at the Dr Ambedkar International Centre here with a series of initiatives focussed on the welfare and dignity of senior citizens.

Observed globally every year, the International Day of Older Persons recognises the contributions of older people and underscores the society's responsibility towards their well-being. This year's celebrations will continue with the theme of "Ageing with Dignity" under the Viksit Bharat 2047 vision, according to an official statement.

The event will witness the signing of memoranda of understanding (MoUs) with the Ministry of Defence (Defence Estates/Services), Telecommunications Consultants India Limited (TCIL) under the Ministry of Telecommunications and the Birla Open Minds Foundation, the statement said.

A highlight of the programme will be the virtual inauguration of five senior citizen homes across Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Assam, Uttar Pradesh and Jharkhand. Two songs created by the Brahmakumaris, focussing on inter-generational bonding and family values, will also be officially released, the statement said.

Other launches include "Naitik Patam", a game designed to promote inter-generational bonding, and a QR code to capture details of grandparents-teachers meetings.

As part of its ongoing initiatives, the department released the "SAHAJ --“ Vridha Mitra Toolkit" on September 23 and held the second edition of its talk series, "Shrinkhala -- HUM", which showcased inspiring real-life stories and community models of senior citizens. PTI UZM RC