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Event Description

The International Institute on Ageing United Nations – Malta (INIA) and the Beijing SUC Institute organised the first International Forum on Age-Friendly and Liveable Cities (AFLC Forum), a Workshop on Age-Friendly and Liveable Cities Network, and a hybrid international training programme on age-friendly cities at the University of Malta (Valletta Campus) in Malta from 30 May to 1 June 2023. Drawing participation from more than 20 cities and 30 projects representing over 30 countries, the Forum showcased a diverse array of initiatives aimed at fostering age-friendly and liveable urban environments. The participants also visited INIA’s premises and extended a warm reception to INIA’s personnel.

This four-day event, held in tandem with the 21st LivCom Awards Finals, was a joint effort by INIA and the Beijing SUC Institute to advocate for the integration of active ageing and age-friendly principles into global initiatives in urban planning, with the predominant goal of enhancing the quality of life and wellbeing of all residents irrespective of age. Distinguished speakers including Hon. Dr. Ian Borg, Malta’s Minister for Foreign and European Affairs and Trade of Malta, Ms. Angela Kane, former UN Under-Secretary-General, Prof. Marvin Formosa, Director of INIA, Ms. Rosette Farrugia-Bonello, Deputy Director of INIA, Mr. Arab Hoballah, Ex-Chief of UNEP, Mr. John Boxall, Mayor of Birgu,

A highlight of the event was the LivCom Awards Ceremony, where the International Expert Committee of Active Ageing and Age-Friendly Cities (IECAFC) bestowed the prestigious title of World Age-Friendly City upon Qihe County, China. The certification was presented by Ms. Angela Kane and Ms. Rosette Farrugia-Bonello. This Certification Project is based on a 5-year MOU signed between INIA and the China SUC Institute in 2022, which covers certification in sectors of Age-Friendly City, Healthy & Positive Ageing City, regular international training programmes and forums, as well as the establishment of INIA’s Satellite and Training Centre in China at the Beijing SUC Institute in China.

A special training programme on Active Ageing and Age-Friendly Cities was organised by INIA, which was chaired by Rosette Farrugia-Bonello, Deputy Director INIA, and held on the 2nd of June at the University of Malta Valletta Campus. During this programme lectures were delivered on ‘Key principles and policy ideals of active ageing’ by Dr. Abdulrazak Abyad, INIA International Tutor; ‘Safe, Efficient, Accessible, and Age-friendly Mobility Solutions for Liveable Cities and Communities’, by Dr. Ganesh Raj Joshi, Researcher, UNCRD; ‘Liveable communities for older persons’ by Ms. Zhou Yanmin, Professor Tsinghua University, and ‘Age-friendly cities: what needs to be done?’ by Dr Alexandre Sidorenko, INIA Senior Consultant.
During their mission to Malta, Dr Abdulrazak Abyad and Dr Alexandre Sidorenko also visited Roseville Home, a privately run care home for older persons, and St Vincent de Paul Residence, Malta’s largest state-run long-term care facility. As part of their visits, meetings with senior management and lectures with health care professionals were organised respectively.