Building age-friendly communities with Cockburn, Cardiff, and Sharjah

City representatives from Cardiff (United Kingdom), Sharjah (United Arab Emirates), and Cockburn (Australia) discuss child rights at the local level; participation of older people in community life; healthy and active aging; integration of age-related equity goals into urban planning; and more.

The Cities and Social Solutions webinar series is co-organized by the Columbia Global Paris Center and the City Diplomacy Lab. This webinar is co-sponsored by the WHO Global Network for Age-friendly Cities and Communities and The Robert N. Butler Columbia Aging Center.

This event is a contribution to the UN Decade of Healthy Ageing (2021-2030).

To learn more about the series, please visit https://globalcenters.columbia.edu/co...

For further information on the City Diplomacy Lab, please visit https://www.citydiplomacylab.net/

Speakers

Cardiff

Nicola Pitman has a passion for community work with over 30 years' experience in youth work, the library profession and health initiatives. Having qualified from Cardiff and then Aberystwyth University Nic began her career at the Ministry of Defence working for the Army Library Service before switching to Public Libraries in Caerphilly Council and then Cardiff Council, where she is now Operational Manager for Health and Wellbeing & Library Strategy. She is also the Chair of the Society of Chief Librarians Cymru (SCL Cymru). Nic became the Lead Officer for Age Friendly Cardiff in 2022 and was involved in the development of Cardiff’s application to join the World Health Organisation’s Global Network for Age Friendly Cities and Communities which was successful in March 2023. Cardiff is fully committed to making the City a better place for older people to live, work and visit. Nic remains ambitious about what can be achieved by working closely with older people to shape Cardiff’s future as an Age Friendly City.

Sharjah

Asmaa Samir Al Khodari is the Director of the Sharjah Age-friendly City Office and the Sharjah Social Services Department. Her previous roles include: General Coordinator and Secretary for Sharjah (2012-2015), Healthy City Project with the WHO; Head of Continuing Professional Development Department (2012-2019); Head of Quality Improvement, Excellence,and Accreditation (2008-1012). She holds a Master in Business Administration and a Bachelor in Health Sciences.

Cockburn

Julie McDonald currently works for the City of Cockburn as the Seniors Centre Coordinator. Her current work goal is to continue to be the best kind manager that all can rely on to trust and value. She loves nothing more in life than to chase peace/happiness, be a loving wife, mother, sister and friend, and to always have time for herself and others. Some of her biggest achievements include: joining the Navy when she was seventeen and studying as a nurse. She was one of the first women nurses to go to sea on a ship HMAS Tobruk; Team Winner - of the WA Age Friendly Local Government of the Year for 2022; recipient of The Council on the Ageing Inc and Department of Communities award, announced by the Minister for Seniors and Ageing, Hon. Don Punch; personal winner of the Premier Award when working for the Disability Service Commission; chosen to represent Australia in Marathon Paddling; finisher Perth Marathon runner. Julie enjoys playing sport, paddling at Ascot waters, going to the gym, and watching period love movies. She is more than happy to connect with you: [email protected]