Event highlights
Representatives from local authorities, researchers and advocates from age-friendly cities and communities across the Nordic and Baltic countries gathered in Copenhagen to share practical approaches and inspire action for building more inclusive, supportive environments for ageing populations. The 2-day event, “Ageing is Living: Building Age-Friendly Communities in the Nordic–Baltic Region”, was co-organized by WHO/Europe, the Nordic Welfare Centre and the Centre for an Age-Friendly Norway. The conference highlighted the transformative power of local action in shaping environments that support health, participation and dignity across the life course.
One session was dedicated to engaging cities and communities on the forthcoming “WHO European Strategy on Ageing is Living: Promoting a Lifetime of Health and Well-being (2026–2030)”. Participants discussed how local governments and grassroots actors can help bring the strategy to life through policies and programmes that reflect the needs of their communities.
The Minister for Senior Citizens of Denmark, Mette Kierkgaard, joined the opening panel alongside Dr Chitralekha Marie Massey, Chief of the Rights of Older Persons Section at the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, emphasizing a shared commitment to upholding the rights and well-being of older persons.
“We want to ensure that Denmark continues to be a society where people can age with dignity, safety and strong social ties. The newly established Council for an Age-Friendly Denmark reflects our commitment to working with all levels of society to achieve this,” said Minister Kierkgaard.
“Age-friendly communities and environments are central to implementing the Strategy and advancing healthy ageing,” said Dr Yongjie Yon, Technical Officer for Ageing and Health, WHO/Europe. “Local action is where the impact is felt – whether it’s a more accessible bus stop, a connected neighbourhood or a housing policy that supports independence. The cities and communities gathered here are showing how to turn commitments into real change.”
The conference reaffirmed that age-friendly cities and communities are not just stakeholders but critical drivers of the healthy ageing agenda. WHO/Europe will continue working closely with regional and local partners to support strategy implementation in the years ahead.