Mr. President,
Excellencies,
(and delegates)

The occasion for this Assembly is a very fortunate one. Human longevity is increasing steadily; individuals and populations are becoming older and older. But of course, we did not gather here out of pure satisfaction about the successful realization of an age-old human aspiration, a long life. Here and now we recognize the darker side of a dream come true, and it is worry rather than joy that brings us together here in Madrid. Poverty, social exclusion, poor health, physical and mental disability, and increasingly unaffordable costs cast shadows over society as a whole. However, while the ageing of populations is no doubt a challenge, it is too often perceived exclusively as a threat. We should not have come here to merely add to the list of complaints and worries about the historical demographic transformation we are witnessing. 

No doubt, being old itself as well as the demographic shift towards an increasingly older population can be viewed negatively. Individual and societal problems brought about by ageing must be addressed and analysed carefully. It would be wrong to idealize the situation. In order to find solutions to the numerous challenges posed by ageing, however, it is necessary to pay more attention to the positive aspects of longevity. The resources that older people have in store for society, their knowledge and practical experience need to be explored. Prejudices against ageing or older persons should be reduced; the opportunities for older persons to participate fully in the social, economic and cultural lives must be enhanced. 

The Plan of Action on Ageing, it seems to me, was drafted precisely with these two levels in mind. On one level, we have the task of raising awareness of the opportunities that old age offers; on another level, we must deal with the material challenges that need to be addressed to ensure development for all. Our goal must be a society in which all ages not only fit in, but form a whole, characterised by intergenerational interdependence and solidarity. Liechtenstein appreciates and supports the United Nations plans of action in this direction. Conversely, the United Nations programmes support and strengthen Liechtenstein's own efforts and visions of a society for all ages. 

Mr. President

This is neither the time nor the place to deal in depth with the mentioned problems. However I would like to say a few words regarding the term "ageism" or discrimination and prejudice against older persons. Ageism comes in many forms, linguistic, social, structural and otherwise, but the intention seems to be always the same: It serves to single out and blame one segment of society, the elderly, for a variety of problems. Ageism not only hurts the feelings of older persons, but infringes upon the dignity of us all, since all people want to live to an old age. Ageism reduces the complexity of the challenges posed by ageing in an unacceptably simplistic manner and, worse still, it completely ignores the related phenomenon of diminishing birth rates in developed countries. 

Ageism amounts to accusing the elderly for reaching old age. This has led some to call into question (or even abolish) existing commitments between generations, in particular pension rights etc. This line of reasoning neglects the fact that the age pyramid was inverted not only because people live longer lives. Not only should the term "ageism" be deleted from our language, but above all we need to combat the idea it evokes of blaming the elderly. 

Mr. President

In the second half of the past century, Liechtenstein rapidly developed from a poor agrarian society to a prosperous State with a , vibrant economy. (The industrial sector and the services sector employ many more people than can be recruited in Liechtenstein. This is one reason why the age distribution in Liechtenstein has remained balanced: the declining birth rate is offset by immigration.) This rapid development and prosperity came at considerable costs that above all the founders of modern Liechtenstein, the octogenarians in our society, had to bear. The psychological strength necessary to cope with rapid and continuing changes should not be underestimated. The dissolution of the traditional structures of family and community may well be compared to exile: The builders of modern society were to some extent uprooted by their own success, and we need to support them in dealing with alienation. Modern modes of production as well as social security systems favour the single individual. Alienation, isolation and loneliness often accompany old age in developed societies. 

In Liechtenstein, the percentage of older persons in the population has also risen in the past decades. While in 1930 around 6 percent of the population were more than 64 years old, this was true for 11 percent of the population in the year 2000. Of course, this percentage of older persons in our society is comparatively small, due to a rather high number of young immigrants. 

Mr. President

Liechtenstein is in the fortunate position to be able to offer its older generation a healthy environment and good living conditions. The majority of older persons could achieve some prosperity during their working life. To those who were not so successful, a dignified existence can be .guaranteed thanks to the existing social security system, including guaranteed access to medical care and psycho-social services. In Liechtenstein, the threat of poverty does not loom over the elderly. 

Studies reveal a clear correlation between available financial means and living space on one side and the subjective perception of one's own health and happiness on the other side. There is a simple explanation for this psycho-economic correlation: The better the financial situation, the greater the individual control over one's own life. Self-determination of older persons greatly improves their health and happiness. In turn, their self-determination helps to keep a check on rising social costs for medical care, and so on. 

Some very general principles helped Liechtenstein achieve rather positive results: independence, self-reliance and self-determination. In terms of a concrete policy this can be spelled out as follows: Letting people stay at home is preferable to taking care of them in state-run facilities. As a consequence, preventive medical care and social assistance continues to be enhanced on the communal level. Older persons receive attention and assistance locally in order to facilitate self-reliant lives for as long as possible. 

Despite favourable material conditions, including successful social security and medical care systems, older persons continue to drift or be pushed towards the margins of society. Isolation, in particular socio-political marginalization, remains an all too real problem. Measures have to be taken to more fully include older persons in political processes and to increase the communication and exchange between the generations. During the International Year of Older Persons, Liechtenstein focussed its attention on this goal. I am happy to report that new organisations emerged from these efforts: Older persons are now organised in vigorous associations that are active in particular in the field of education and in politics. (Among other things, older people empowered themselves to close the digital gap between the young and the old.) 

Another issue that will require Liechtenstein's attention in the near future concerns the specific needs of immigrants who go into retirement. For the past decades, Liechtenstein's economy has been absorbing numerous young people into its workforce. Previously, most working immigrants chose to retire to their countries of origin after their active working life. Among more recent immigrants, there is a clear trend toward staying in Liechtenstein. With the foreign-born population amounting to well over 30 percent of the entire population, Liechtenstein is naturally expecting a substantial portion of immigrant retired persons. 

In its work on behalf and for the benefit of older persons, the Government has learned one important lesson: It is best not to view older persons as a homogenous group with identical needs. Instead we always must take into account the great individual differences within the older population segment. As gerontopsychology has been telling us for a number of years: Diversity actually increases as people get older. 

In sum: The challenges of population ageing might become greater in magnitude, but at the same time, the availability of resources necessary to deal with the problems increases with each individual person allowed to grow old and develop with the highest possible degree of self-determination. 

Liechtenstein is grateful for and fully supports the efforts of the United Nations in "building a society for all ages". 

Thank you, Mr. President