The municipal plenary of Castellví de Rosanes approved on September 30th the manifesto for the International Day of Older Persons, celebrated annually on October 1st. This year's document, received via the Consell Comarcal, bears the slogan “We retire from work, not from life”. The Councilor for Older Persons, Josep M. Mitjans, highlighted the significance of the title during his presentation to the plenary, stating that "it is a phrase that says a lot in a few words".
The department headed by Mitjans has organized, from October 13th to 17th, an Older Persons' Week which includes two talks, a cultural outing, and the 4th Older Persons' Gathering of Castellví, aiming to promote the participation and well-being of the municipality's elderly residents.
Mitjans emphasized that the manifesto has the support of major social entities, unions, and political parties, as well as the Consell de la Gent Gran de Catalunya and other supramunicipal institutions. The text advocates for the recognition, respect, and valuation of older persons as an essential part of the social fabric, rejecting inequality, invisibility, ageism, and precariousness.
The manifesto addresses six major thematic blocks: social rights and justice; autonomy, care, and dignity; equality and non-discrimination; well-being and community; protagonism and participation; and commitment to peace and the future.
The Councilor for Social Welfare, Yolanda Torres, stressed the importance of focusing on the elderly of the municipality, stating that "we are talking above all about people. People who have made our towns grow [...] and who still have much to contribute today." She insisted on the need to listen to their needs, concerns, and desires for participation.
For her part, the spokesperson for Junts per Castellví and regional councilor for Older Persons, Vicky Castellanos Núñez, positively valued the consensus reached in the manifesto and highlighted the work of older persons, visible through initiatives such as the Consell Consultiu de la Gent Gran del Baix Llobregat.
Castellanos Núñez concluded that labor retirement does not imply retirement from life, participation, or commitment, and that the defense of their rights benefits society as a whole. She underlined the importance of ensuring that older persons can decide how they want to live, where they want to live, and how they want to be cared for, also emphasizing the need to eradicate poverty and gender inequality within this group.
