It gives me enormous pleasure to wish all Global Ageing Network members, your teams, and the people your organizations support a very happy New Year.

As I enter my third year as chair of the Global Ageing Network, I want to thank you all and reflect on how much I have enjoyed meeting, collaborating with, and learning from so many of our members and partners over the past few years.

I also want to look back on how far our global community has come during this time, how much more closely we have worked together, and the insights, best practices, and ideas we have shared and learned from.

I have had the pleasure of attending many in-person events and several virtual roundtables and discussions throughout my tenure as GAN chair, and each experience has brought me something new. I have heard from, and engaged with, inspirational speakers who have shared ideas that inspire, energize, and allow us to visualize a new future for the care of older people. I have also been fortunate to visit care settings around the world where innovation is in the DNA, new technologies are being adopted, and models of long-term care are challenging traditional approaches, particularly for those living with dementia, while always respecting the individuality, traditions, and cultures of each person.

I am also enormously grateful to have had the chance to share what I have learned with members of the National Care Forum and, in turn, showcase some of their brilliant work and the innovation and research taking place in the U.K.

When we met again in Boston for the International Summit, Global Ageing Conference, Ageing Commons, and LeadingAge Annual Meeting in November 2025, it felt as though additional momentum had been generated. It is precisely that energy and passion that we create together that we will need as we head into 2026 and confront the ongoing demographic and workforce challenges that persist around the world.

As part of my keynote address on the main stage in Boston, I shared that, for the first time in history, a large proportion of the population in many countries is aged 80 and older. This shift in global aging is happening against a backdrop of systemic ageism.

My hope for this year and beyond is that we can all play our part in supporting and amplifying the proposed United Nations Convention on the Rights of Older People in its aim to provide a comprehensive framework to promote and safeguard older people’s rights. Together, we can lend our voices to the convention’s ambition to become a powerful tool in tackling ageism. By recognizing dignity and autonomy, it can help in the fight against discrimination, abuse, and neglect, while contributing to a shift in societal attitudes that fosters a culture of respect and care for older people.

By bringing our voices together in unison, we can ensure this message is heard loud and clear by governments and communities around the world.

I look forward to working with you all again this year and meeting in person or online so we can continue the fantastic work of this global care community in our commitment to creating better outcomes for older people.