13 November 1981

57th plenary meeting

World Assembly on Aging

The General Assembly, Recalling its resolutions 33/52 of 14 December 1978, in which it decided to convene a World Assembly on Aging in 1982, and 35/129 of 11 December 1980,

Bearing in mind that the number of older people in the world, in both the developed and developing countries, will increase dramatically during the next two decades,

Recognizing that the aging are a valuable human resource as much in the economic and social fields as in the transmission of cultural heritage,

Emphasizing the great importance of the World Assembly on Aging in addressing the broad spectrum of questions concerning the aging and in helping to formulate policies to deal with these questions,

Taking note with appreciation of the report of the Advisory Committee for the World Assembly on Aging on its first session, held at Vienna from 17 to 21 August 1981,

1. Welcomes the offer of the Government of Austria to act as host to the World Assembly on Aging;

2. Decides that the World Assembly on Aging will be held at Vienna from 26 July to 6 August 1982;

3. Decides further that, subject to the conditions in paragraph 8 below, two days of pre-conference meetings should be held at Vienna immediately before the World Assemby on Aging in order to reach agreement on all procedural and organizational matters to be dealt with on the opening day of the Assembly;

4 Approves, subject to the conditions in paragraph 8 below, the holding of three simultaneous meetings - plenary meetings and meetings of two Main Committees - for the whole duration of the World Assembly on Aging;

5. Requests the Secretary-General, subject to the conditions in paragraph 8 below, to convene at Vienna two sessions of the Advisory Committee for the World Assembly on Aging, if possible, from 1 to 5 February and from 3 to 7 May 1982, in order to finalize the preparations and documentation for the Assembly;

6. Urges those countries in a position to do so to make generous voluntary contributions to the Fund for the World Assembly on Aging;

7. Invites the United Nations Fund for Population Activities to continue to provide financial support to the preparatory work for the World Assembly on Aging;

8. Notes that paragraphs 3, 4 and 5 above will be implemented only to the extent that they can be financed by economies within the direct and apportioned resources requested by the Secretary-General in section 4 B of the proposed programme budget for the biennium 1982-1983, or by voluntary contributions which may be or may become available from the Fund for the World Assembly on Aging.