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September 30, 2011
Message from His Excellency the Right Honourable David Johnston, Governor General of Canada, on the Occasion of the 21st International Day of Older Persons
OTTAWA— It is my pleasure to celebrate the 21st International Day of Older Persons. At a time when health and physical exercise go hand-in-hand, people are living longer than ever before. This is why it is essential that we do everything possible to ensure that everyone can find satisfaction and fulfillment as they enjoy their twilight years with dignity.
The tremendous potential that older persons represent for the development of our communities so often goes unnoticed. And yet every day, well beyond retirement, millions of seniors lead extremely active lives by getting involved in their communities. Their contributions are too numerous to count and too varied to even begin to describe, but in my travels across this country, I have seen first-hand how they are working towards building a smarter, more caring nation.
Some choose to donate their time and energy as volunteers; while others invest their knowledge and wisdom in service to humanity, passing on what they have learned and sharing their experiences. I firmly believe that we must build bridges between generations so that together we can live in harmony in a more just, compassionate and inclusive world.
On this International Day of Older Persons, I salute our seniors and offer them my very best wishes for success in all of their endeavours.
David Johnston
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The 21st International Day of Older Persons is celebrated on October 1st, 2011.
Media information:
Marie-Pierre Bélanger
Rideau Hall Press Office
613-998-9166
marie-pierre.belanger@gg.ca
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