The Vatican and AARP Team Up for First-Ever Symposium on Aging: 'One of the Most Pressing Issues of Our Time' (Exclusive)

• The Vatican and the AARP are co-hosting their first event to address the challenges facing adults as they get older, called “The Memory: A Symposium Addressing the Opportunities and Challenges of an Aging Global Population”
• The event, hosted at Vatican City, was a priority for the late Pope Francis and will be dedicated in his honor
• Sessions on brain health, caregiving, and more will be offered, and the event will culminate in the signing of the Holy See–AARP Declaration, honoring a commitment to supporting aging adults

The Vatican and the AARP — the American organization that advocates for those over 50 — are teaming up for the first-ever global symposium on aging, hosted at the Holy See.

Called “The Memory: A Symposium Addressing the Opportunities and Challenges of an Aging Global Population,” the two-day event, which begins on May 9 at the Palazzo San Calisto in Vatican City, was a priority for the late Pope Francis, and will be dedicated in his honor.

“As one of the most influential organizations focused on healthy aging, AARP brings decades of experience and practical knowledge to this partnership, while the Vatican, with its global leadership and connection to communities worldwide, hears firsthand the challenges older people face every day,” AARP's CEO, Myechia Minter-Jordan, tells PEOPLE exclusively.  

Calling the global aging population “one of the most pressing issues of our time,” Minter-Jordan, who is delivering the symposium’s keynote speech, says that “by 2050, over one-fifth of people globally will be over 60, with 80% living in lower and middle-income countries.”

“We must create new models of work that allow people to contribute in ways that reflect their evolving needs and capacities. Some priorities include protecting brain health by addressing risk factors like social isolation and physical inactivity; supporting family caregivers with training, respite care, and workplace flexibility; promoting age-friendly communities that offer accessible housing, transportation, and healthcare,” Minter-Jordan, tells PEOPLE. “At the core of this, we also continue combating ageism by influencing how we view and treat older adults so we can all age with dignity.”

The PEOPLE Puzzler crossword is here! How quickly can you solve it? Play now!

The symposium will offer sessions on topics like financial security, family caregiving, brain health, and access to health care as people age, and will end with the signing of the Holy See–AARP Declaration. The historic document will outline their shared commitment to protecting the dignity of adults as they age. As Minter-Jordan tells PEOPLE, it’s “a landmark commitment outlining strategic priorities for global aging initiatives.”  

The event is expected to be attended by leaders from South America, Asia, Europe, and North America, and will open with remarks from Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia, President of the Pontifical Academy for Life and the Foundation Età Grande. He said in a press release the goal of the symposium is to “reflect with scientific and academic institutions on how to promote a model of longevity that does not limit itself to extending the years of life but to enriching them in terms of quality, dignity, and sustainability, integrating science, ethics, and spirituality.”

“This will, of course, benefit younger generations for their futures. It’s imperative that we reimagine and support multigenerational workplaces, more accessible communities, and strong healthcare systems,” Minter-Jordan tells PEOPLE. “People of all ages have a stake in planning for the future. We need to work to support the immediate needs of the aging population for the benefit of older generations now.”

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.