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Thursday, July 07, 2022 | News

New Zealanders’ ageing experience will improve through global conference

New Zealand and Australia have succeeded in their joint bid for the largest, most significant worldwide conference on ageing.

 

The conference will bring experts together to help improve the experience of ageing for older people across the globe, including Kiwis.

Queenstown, New Zealand will host the pre-Congress Leadership Summit, before the 24th International Association of Gerontology and Geriatric (IAGG) World Congress of Gerontology and Geriatrics will take place in Sydney, Australia in 2029.

The pre-Congress Leadership Summit is expected to attract up to 300 delegates to Queenstown and inject around $1 million into the local economy.

The Congress in Sydney is then expected to attract around 5000 delegates over five days. 

The quadrennial IAGG World Congress is the largest, most significant worldwide conference on ageing, sharing the latest science, research, training, technology, and policy development presented by experts from around the world. Delegates include representatives from medicine, nursing, allied health, aged care, policy and practice fields, and other disciplines brought together to address the latest approaches to improving the experience of ageing for ageing and older people across the globe.

Tourism New Zealand General Manager New Zealand & Business Events Bjoern Spreitzer says: “The conference win is a great example of the power of taking a Trans-Tasman approach to bidding. Hosting this event will help New Zealand stay at the forefront of strategies for improving the experience of ageing, leaving important legacies for New Zealand’s ageing population.”

Professor Debra Waters, University of Otago, Pre-Congress Bid Leadership Summit Lead and Vice President of the New Zealand Association of Gerontology, says: “The pre-congress leadership summit in Queenstown, in particular, will honour Indigenous leadership in ageing, highlighting the value of holistic, sustainable, and culturally relevant approaches used by First Nations and Indigenous Peoples. We will welcome leaders, established and emerging, from across the globe, to join a conversation about ageing well.”

The pre-Congress bid was also supported by Katrina Pōtiki Bryant of the University of Otago’s School of Physiotherapy, Associate Professor Andy Towers from Massey University’s School of Health Sciences, and Ngāi Tahu Tourism.

Ms Bryant comments: “Placing indigenous and Māori world views on ageing in the forefront will enhance local and international understanding and action for developing sustainable and effective means for supporting wellbeing for older people across all cultures and geographical areas.”

Ngāi Tahu Holdings General Manager of Transformation Dean Fraser states: “Ngāi Tahu Tourism looks forward to welcoming our colleagues from the IAGG community to Queenstown, New Zealand in 2029 for a memorable pre-congress Knowledge in Ageing Leadership Summit.”

Destination Queenstown Chief Executive Mat Woods adds: “We look forward to welcoming these experts and the insight they bring. We can’t wait to showcase the beauty of Queenstown to these valued guests.”

A significant multi-year bidding effort by the Australian Association of Gerontology (AAG), the New Zealand Association of Gerontology (NZAG) and the Australian & New Zealand Society for Geriatric Medicine (ANZSGM) ensured the win, which was decided by vote by more than 80 IAGG member countries at the 2022 IAGG Council and General Assembly. The bid was supported by the business events teams at BESydney and Tourism New Zealand.


NOTES:

The pre-Congress Leadership Summit will take place at the Millennium Hotel in Queenstown, New Zealand. The 23rd IAGG World Congress will be held at the International Convention Centre Sydney (ICC Sydney). Both will be held in 2029/2030, with dates to be confirmed.

The Australian Association of Gerontology(opens in new window)led the bid, working together with collaborative partners the New Zealand Association of Gerontology(opens in new window) and the Australian & New Zealand Society for Geriatric Medicine(opens in new window), the peak bodies linking professionals working across the multidisciplinary fields of ageing in Australia and New Zealand. They were supported by the business events teams at BESydney and Tourism New Zealand. For more information visit https://www.iagg2029.org/(opens in new window)

Tourism New Zealand’s dedicated Business Events team provides strategic funding and support to attract conferences and incentives to New Zealand. For more information on holding a business event in New Zealand, visit businessevents.newzealand.com