Italy's Senior Foundation on
Monday announced the 10th anniversary campaign for Italian
Grandparents' Day, a nationwide initiative to take place October
2-4 with actor Lino Banfi and AS Roma footballer Alessandro
Florenzi as spokesmen.
The campaign will include a fundraiser for senior centres
across the country.
"(Grandparents' Day) is above all an occasion to thank the
elderly, a generation that carries an inestimable heritage of
experience and wisdom," said Roberto Messina, president of
Senior Foundation and of Federanziani senior citizens' rights
association.
"We decided to do that by helping the 9,000 city-owned
senior centres, which are fundamental gathering places," Messina
said.
Health Minister Beatrice Lorenzin, who gave birth to twins
in June, highlighted the important role that grandparents play.
"I never realized quite until now what it means to have
grandparents close," Lorenzin said.
"Italy is a country that is growing older; today's young
people will be grandparents but risk not having grandchildren.
We need to provide incentives for giving birth on the one hand,
while on the other hand helping the 'third age' to become more
like the 'second age', ever more active," Lorenzin said.
photo: Lorenzin
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