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For a more Human and Christian ageing, Pour un vieillissement Humain et Chrétien, Para un envejecimiento Humano y Cristiano Website: http://www.Rcrescendo.net DOCUMENT ISSUED BY THE U.N.: "INTERNATIONAL STRATEGY ON AGEING FOR 2002" from December 10-14, 2001 STANCE IN RELATION TO THIS DOCUMENT The international NGO members of the "CRESCENDO WORLD WIDE NETWORK FOR A MORE HUMANE AND CHRISTIAN AGEING PROCESS" consider that two points are essential for the success of a positive policy on ageing: 1) A greater understanding by public opinion and by governments of the importance of this phenomenon, and its repercussions on future generations. 2) The recognition that economic motivations alone are not sufficient to cause worldwide mobilisation, on which however, the future of mankind depends. The dignity of every person, including the weakest, and even those who are nearing the end of their lives, is untouchable and cannot depend only on economic considerations. It should be the base of any strategy, specially in regard to questions such as palliative care and in order to avoid euthanasia. It is important to move towards a more humane vision of ageing, integrating the ethical and spiritual values recognised in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the principles of the U.N. for the older generation (resolution 46/91 of December 16, 1991). The international NGO's, who are members of CRESCENDO WORLDWIDE NETWORK support the preparatory document as a whole, put out by the United Nations Commission for Social Growth and recognise its innovating propositions, which in the long run should produce a great improvement in the present situation. In particular, they support a vision of ageing as a richness to be exploited, but apportioning a greater meaning to productivity, which goes beyond the economic dimension. Social productivity, which is a fruit of unremunerated activities, should be recognised, especially that of women. They recommend a joint action between the official and civilian society and advise the latter to create worldwide multi-disciplinary networks in which there should be a great participation of older generation associations. In this era of globalisation, it is necessary that the civilian society should be structured to intervene ever in a greater capacity in public debate, and that consulting centres should be created beside the national governments and international bodies, in parallel with the organs of political representation. CRESCENDO: • supports the work of associations of older people which encourage voluntary work in caring centers, training centers and service centers, and request help for these associations, as also for the associations that create small enterprises, cooperatives and communities of mutual help, specially in countries in expansion; • recognises that the family continues to be the most favourable place for the full growth and respect of the person, and also for dialogue across generations. The CRESCENDO NETWORK favours a truly political support of the family; • insists that permanent education should be one of the first objectives of any policy that wishes to maintain cultural and ethical values, the well being of the individuals, and also the active participation of the older generation in society; • shares the appreciation of the preparatory document according to which the globalisation of the media has contributed to further the idea of "agedness" and certain negative stereotypes relative to older people; • at the same time maintains a proposal to create investigation programmes which it considers indispensable for establishing the legitimacy of any social strategy, to establish it efficiently, to evaluate its progress and detect any new problems. The voluntary work, the family, the permanent education, the media and research, should therefore be supported in their mission to generate a new, positive and humanizing vision on old age. This phenomenon requests that the U.N. hold Worldwide Assemblies on this issue more frequently.