Tabriz, 4 July 2017-The Regional Forum on Policy Implications of Population Ageing continued into its second day in Tabriz with presentations by national and international experts in the field.

Discussion panels and presentations covered the topics of ageing and policy formulation, policy implementation, monitoring and evaluation and political commitment, social services and income security. 

The closing part of the ceremony placed emphasis on adopting a life-cycle approach to ageing, investment on ageing, including older people into policies, ensuring inter-sectoral collaboration beyond the public sector, and developing comprehensive, culturally sensitive policies to address this multi-dimensional issue.

The closing was attended by high officials such as Mr. Sadegh Najafi, the mayor of Tabriz; Dr. Mohsen Arshadzadeh, the Head of the State Welfare Organization of the province; Mr. Hefdahtan, the Advisor to the Minister and the Director General for International Affairs of the Ministry of Cooperatives, Labor and Social Welfare, Mr. Safi, Representative of the older people in Tabriz and the advisor to the Ministry of Education; and Dr. Leila Joudane, the UNFPA Representative in Iran.

The forum officially ended by the announcement of the Tabriz Statement by Dr. Leila Joudane, affirming among other points, the importance of developing integrated, evidence-based and culturally sensitive policy frameworks.