Int’l Day of Older Persons celebrated with parade

Senior Citizen’s Week commenced on Sunday with prayers worldwide but there was a special event today that caught our attention on Albert Street that was planned to draw attention to International Day of Older Person’s, a highlight of the weeklong of activities. HelpAge Belize organized a citizen’s parade for the more experienced and older folks, and they were out in a representative number, marching and proudly displaying their seniority. News Five caught up with them.

Senior Citizen
“It’s a blessing to grow old because the young generation now are dying quicker than us. So we are happy for today and we hope to live some more years to enjoy it again.”

Duane Moody
“What are you doing today?”

Doris Jones, Senior Citizen
“I’m enjoying the day.”

Duane Moody
“What day is it today?”

Doris Jones
“Old people day.”

Jessie Holiday, Senior Citizen
“It means a lot. We help out the old people and we enjoy it from Monday to Friday we go there and we have fun and thing like that.”

Sharon Polack, Executive Director, HelpAge Belize
“It’s just to honour the older person and today, which the International day of older persons, so this is worldwide and HelpAge is honouring the older person today with a parade and we are going and have some entertainment at the House of Culture. The public sort of discards the older person as not being useful and they are still useful and they are very—they have a wealth of knowledge and we need to remember that and give them that honour for it.”

The Parade ended at the House of Culture and activities will continue through Saturday at Helpage’s Headquarters in Belize City.