Kathmandu, September 30 Nepal will be marking the International Day of Older Persons tomorrow, demonstrating that an age inclusive agenda is crucial to promote equity, welfare and shared prosperity for all. Sustainability and Age Inclusiveness in the Urban Environment is the theme of the International Day of Older Persons this year. Issuing a press statement, Dr Babatunde Osotimehin, executive director, UNFPA said ageing and urbanisation are major global issues of the 21st century. “While cities are growing, their share of residents aged 60 years and over is also rising. Rapid urbanisation is challenging both national and local governments in developing inclusive and integrated cities. As we observe the International Day of Older Persons, we must ensure that cities respond to the needs of persons of all ages and that older persons are as much a part of urban life as their younger counterparts,” he stated. “At the same time, we must provide affordable and accessible health-care services, lifelong learning and retraining opportunities, and flexible employment for older persons to improve their well-being and facilitate their integration into the fabric of communities,” he added. UNFPA has called on policymakers and urban planners to work together to ensure an inclusive urban environment for all ages. This means paying particular attention to the important pillars of urban living, such as housing, transportation, basic social services, and health care, to make them age-friendly. World Health Organisation has stated that a demographic revolution is underway throughout the world. Today, worldwide, there are around 600 million persons aged 60 years and over. This this total will double by 2025 and will reach virtually two billion by 2050 — a vast majority of them in the developing world. According to National Senior Citizens Organisations’ Network, Nepal, ageing is a natural phenomenon and an inevitable process, which occurs in human life cycle.