A Walk In the Park to Celebrate UN World Day for Older Persons
Posted on 5th October 2015
The weather was on our side last Thursday as Third Age in partnership with DCU brought the generations together for a walk in the sunshine in Albert College Park, Dublin 9. The walk was led out by Minister of State Kathleen Lynch, broadcaster Mícheál Ó Muircheartaigh and DCU student ambassadors.
Over one hundred people took part, including Transition Year students from local schools, active retirement groups, members of the Soroptimist organisation, DCU students, staff, Third Age members, volunteers and friends.
DCU, as the world’s first Age Friendly University, is a fitting partner for Third Age.
We were also celebrating Positive Ageing Week and raising awareness of the Third Age national campaign Operation Conversation. The DCU event was supported by Comfort Keepers.
Launching the event in the Helix, Mícheál Ó Muircheartaigh commented on the great variety of ages in the room:
“Thanks to Third Age, we are all made aware of the value of every age, the value of inter-generational contact, of listening to each other”, he said.
After the walk and refreshments in the Helix, Minister Lynch said that life is lived in community:
“Being age-friendly is more than living longer, it is about capturing a space for each and every person and realising that we are all different. Coming together is hugely important,” she said.
Aine Brady, Third Age CEO explained the rationale of Operation Conversation in bringing people together for face-to-face contact, and so help to alleviate the loneliness that many older people can experience. Professor Daire Keogh, President of (DCU) St Patrick’s College, represented DCU President Brian McCraith in presenting an award to the students of Ashbourne Community School for their intergenerational project and video ‘Senior IT 2015’. We were serenaded by The Monday Choir, and later, Doctor Noel McCaffrey presented a lecture on the value of exercise in preventing and managing ills associated with growing older.
