The UNECE Ministerial Conference on Ageing 2022 took place in Rome, Italy, from 16 to 17 June 2022. The Conference completed the fourth review and appraisal cycle (2018-2022) and marked the 20th anniversary of the adoption of the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing and its Regional Implementation Strategy (MIPAA/RIS).

The theme of the Conference was “Joining Forces for Solidarity and Equal Opportunities Throughout Life”. Conference panels addressed this theme through the lens of:

1. Promoting active and healthy ageing throughout life
2. Ensuring access to long-term care and support for carers and families
3. Mainstreaming ageing to advance a society for all ages

On 15 June 2022, a joint Forum of Civil Society and Scientific Research entitled “A fulfilling life throughout the life course – A joint effort of civil society and research in policy making” took place in Rome gathering members of NGOS and the research community from across the UNECE region. The Albanian Center for Population and Development (ACPD) was represented by its Executive Director, Mrs. Elona Gjebrea Hoxha. ACPD has been working on promoting active and healthy ageing throughout life as well as on ensuring/providing access to long-term care for the elderly since its creation in January 1993.

Albania was duly represented by an official delegation, composed of the Vice Minister of Health and Social Protection and other professionals, in MIPAA + 20, in Rome. ACPD takes pride in the selection of the poster “Setting up a model of integrated health and social care for older persons during COVID-19 in Albania” where our center was one of the contributors, with the support of UNFPA, which was represented at this conference by the director for Albania, dr. Manuela Bello.

The Ministerial Conference on Ageing was organized by UNECE in cooperation with the UNECE Standing Working Group on Ageing and the Government of Italy.