1st October: United Nations International Day of Older Persons: ‘Digital Equity for All Ages’

A message from our president on the occasion of the 1^st of October: United Nations International Day of Older Persons (UNIDOP): ‘Digital Equity for All Ages’

Since 1990, the UN has designated 1 October as a day to remember the older generation. This year’s theme is ‘Digital Equity for All Ages’. It is based on the need for access to and meaningful participation in the digital world for everyone, and especially for older people.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, we felt more than ever how digitisation has become part of our everyday life, of working and learning, of the provision of health and care services, of all kinds of social interaction. But the pandemic has also made it clear that not everyone is benefiting from the opportunities of digitisation and that the digital divide between those who are part of the digital society and those who are not increases with age. For this reason, the ESU has made this issue one of the topics of its recent reflections and has submitted an ESU statement and a resolution: “The need of media and information literacy for all age groups” (available in English, German,French & Spanish). The resolution was adopted at the Extraordinary Congress in Madrid (23-25 September) you can find the corresponding press release in English and Spanish here.

We hope that this resolution will inspire you on the 1st of October, the UNIDOP, and that – as stated in the ESU resolution – you can convince governments and all stakeholders to emphasise the importance of media and information literacy during the World Media and Information Literacy Week (24-31 October 2021).

Let us build a “better tomorrow” together, where everyone is invited to participate in society and where no one is left behind.

ESU President
An Hermans