On 14 December 1990, the United Nations General Assembly (by resolution 45/106) designated 1 October the International Day of Older Persons, the theme of the 2012 commemoration is "Longevity: Shaping the Future".

The Office of the First Lady of the Republic, Sophia Martelly, welcomes in this occasion, the elderly people of Haiti, guarantor of our traditions and customs. Their wisdom constitutes an important link in the transmission of collective knowledge and of our moral values.

As youth is the lifeblood of the nation, as the seniors represent the attic of our history, the pillars of our society without which, any effort to move forward would be pointless, as clearly indicated the theme chosen this year by Haiti : "Devlopman pa dwe fèt san grandèt yo, yo se nanm peyi dayiti"

It's time to praise the efforts, determination and the willingness of organizations that accompany them. We also extend our congratulations to the mayor of Port-au-Prince and its partners for the rehabilitation of communal Asylum. Thanks to this initiative, soon this place of retreat and assistance will be available to serve them. Sophia Martelly, encourages each Haitian to continue to support and assist the elderly to make of their days of moments of happiness and joy.

Ban Ki-moon, Secretary General of the UN has declared in this day commemorative of October 1, 2012 "Longevity is a public health achievement, not a social or economic liability. On this International Day of Older Persons, let us pledge to ensure the well-being of older persons and to enlist their meaningful participation in society so we can all benefit from their knowledge and ability."

Learn more about the International Day of Older Persons :

"On 14 December 1990, the United Nations General Assembly (by resolution 45/106) designated 1 October the International Day of Older Persons. The theme of the 2012 commemoration is 'Longevity: Shaping the Future'. This was preceded by initiatives such as the Vienna International Plan of Action on Ageing - which was adopted by the 1982 World Assembly on Ageing - and endorsed later that year by the UN General Assembly.

In 1991, the General Assembly (by resolution 46/91) adopted the United Nations Principles for Older Persons. In 2002, the Second World Assembly on Ageing adopted the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing, to respond to the opportunities and challenges of population ageing in the 21st century and to promote the development of a society for all ages."

HL/ HaitiLibre