World Health Day is celebrated globally on 7 April to mark the founding of the World Health Organization and to raise awareness every year of a key global health issue. This year the theme is "Ageing and Health". With the number of older people worldwide rapidly increasing, it is expected that older people will represent 22% of the global population (about 2 billion) by the year 2050. A large number of people will live to see their grandchildren grow up.

This phenomenon, positive as it is, poses many challenges for individuals, communities and policy-makers. The challenge is working together to create age-friendly environments for older people all over the world.