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Prof Alain Franco, Secretary General & Vice President of the International Association of Gerontology and Geriatrics, IAGG
Among the keynotes at your upcoming 20th IAGG World Congress is “Informatization and Digital Divide in Ageing Society“. Please explain why.
Digital is a new “resource” that has to be used wisely to solve social problems and to improve the quality of life beyond just adapting our communities to digitalization. The converged development of IT (Information Technology), NT (Nano), BT (Biological), CT (Computer), ET (Environmental) and ST (Symbiotic) is expected to bring forth innovations in health and medical systems, social structures and living environments aiming to make age-related disabilities disappear from society.
Digital living has been realized in practical life one aspect after another and consumers are adopting to these changes very rapidly. It shows the possibility of its contribution as a tool to promote communication and equity, to manage health, to enhance economic conditions, to alleviate the shortage of human resources, to improve safety and convenience and to facilitate care systems. For all these reasons, it then became evident that the Congress should sustain and support this new horizon for future generations and geriatrics.
After Rio de Janeiro 2005 and Paris 2009 you chose Seoul for your 20th IAGG World Congress of Gerontology and Geriatrics (IAGG 2013) from 23 to 27 June. Why?
Every four years IAGG organizes a world congress to raise awareness on comprehensive ageing issues: from social, biological, behavioral and clinical gerontology and is one of the largest international academic events. Here, leading gerontologists, geriatrics scholars, policy decision-makers, professional activists, related companies, and researchers get together and share recent discoveries and study results.
IAGG’s 20th World Congress of Gerontology and Geriatrics (IAGG2013) will take place in Seoul from 23 to 27 June 2013 and will be dedicated to “Digital Ageing : A New Horizon for Health Care and Active Ageing“. The current integrated digital policies of advanced countries and the rapid development in IT convergence technologies is proof of the importance and timeliness of the theme.
Korea has transformed from a developing country to a developed country. It has become a nation facing the most rapid transition from an ageing society to an aged and ultra-aged society. Korea has also developed as an advanced IT country through digital innovations in daily lives. Additionally, Asia is the region where older people comprise the highest proportion of the total world population. For all these reasons, Korea was chosen to be an international venue for comprehensive and in-depth debates on digital ageing with progressive issues.
IAGG was established to improve the quality of life of the world’s older people. How do you do it?
Established in 1950, IAGG promotes the highest levels of achievement in gerontological research and training worldwide. It aims to improve the quality of life of the world’s older people by sharing research results on health, welfare, policy and rights.
The organization functions as a worldwide network to achieve this goal and interacts with other international, intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations in the promotion of gerontological interests globally and on behalf of its member associations. IAGG communicates and shares information through different types of initiatives, such as:
IAGG’s Global Aging Research Network (IAGG-GARN) brings together 500 international centres of expertise, to exchange on latest scientific findings related to issues from biological to clinical gerontology and to build collaborative research programs.
IAGG’s Global Social Initiative on Aging (IAGG-GSIA) is an international network of social gerontologists committed to addressing challenges arising from the impact of global trends on the quality of life of older persons. It focusses on three priority areas: families, care and liveability.
IAGG is very much concerned about the situation of old people around the world: the respect of their civil status, the right to their autonomy, the need to maintain their standard of living, the need for social protection etc. For this reason, our organization has decided to support action at the United Nations to create international awareness to protect the rights of older persons.
To this effect, our organization actively participates within and without the United Nations to promote the need for a UN Convention on the rights of older people, in collaboration with other NGOs; high-level workshops that provide recommendations to guide all actors concerned by the development of older populations,
IAGG’s Intensive Courses on Aging are intended for an international audience of students, professionals, researchers and all other actors in age-related issues. Internationally recognized specialists share their knowledge on topics on main aspects of social gerontology, biological aging and clinical gerontology.
IAGG’s Master Class on Aging is a prestigious class aiming to train geriatricians to develop their research potentials in the fields of ageing and geriatric medicine and aims to foster the networking of geriatric medicine.
General support and promotion of various actions in the fields of aging.
How can international associations become an actor in age-related issues?
Today, IAGG counts a total membership of 45,000 professionals around the world. Seventy five national society members represent 65 countries coming from five regions: Asia/Oceania, Africa, Europe, North America, South America/Caribbean. IAGG supports active cooperation with other international organizations dedicated to old people.
The International Association of Gerontology and Geriatrics (IAGG) was established in 1950 to improve the quality of life of the world’s older people by sharing research results on health, welfare, and rights, functioning as a worldwide network to achieve the goal. Now it has organizations in 64 countries, representing each country from five oceans and six continents. This international academic organization boasts a worldwide membership of over 45,000. The 20th IAGG World Congress has been arranged to be held in the Seoul Coex Convention Center from 23 to 27 June, 2013. www.iagg2013.org, www.iagg.info