Take Care of Time

Ambassador Tsiskarashvili
Mr. Friis Bach
Ms. Bakradze
Dear Colleagues and Friends:

A very warm welcome to you all for this opening of the photography exhibition Take Care of Time, which explores ageing in Georgia through the eyes of its senior citizens.

My most sincere thanks go to the Permanent Mission of Georgia and to our colleagues in the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe and the United Nations Population Fund’s Georgia Country Office for bringing us this unique insight into the lives of the older generation in Georgia and across the world. The work of the UNECE and UNFPA in Georgia, and more broadly in the region, is an excellent example of the very direct impact of our collective efforts, focused on improving the lives of every single individual, and I appreciate that we can highlight that here today.
Ageing populations are a defining characteristic of the changing demographics of our world. The older generation is growing at a faster rate than the total population in most regions. This comes at the same time as we are grappling with how to ensure the empowerment of the largest generation of youth ever. There can be no doubt about the social, economic and political challenges that this demographic transformation poses for all of us. These are profound challenges of protecting the fundamental rights and dignity of all, of framing balanced policies that facilitate a meaningful participation of everybody in shaping their own lives, and of ensuring cohesive, equitable and inclusive societies where all generations can come together.

But behind the statistics and all the figures, there is a human experience that unites us all. And it is this human experience that is captured here in the testimonials and photos of older persons in Georgia. These are the views of individuals who were privileged observers of momentous transformations in their country and the world. They have lived through war and peace, political change, growth and recession, tragedy and elation. Their perspectives must be considered and valued.

The title of this exhibition is “Take Care of Time”. But above all, I think it is a call to all of us to take time to care. As individuals and families, we need to take the time to care about the impact of our rapidly changing world on our fellow human beings, we need to take the time to listen to their ideas, to cherish their experience and to make sure that they are integrated in our communities. As the international family, we need to take the time to consider fully the implications of our ageing populations and how we together can build a world where everybody is truly empowered and can lead fulfilling lives.

It is true that time is precious, and only when we take the time to care can we build a better world - in all parts of the world and for all generations.

I hope you enjoy the exhibition in that spirit.

Thank you very much.