| Sumario: | Population ageing is one of the most critical issues that human society is facing today. It is accompanied with overwhelming health, economic and social problems. For 100 years from 1950 to 2050, older people aged 60 or over will increase from 200 million to 2 billion. The percentage of people aged 60+ will increase from 12% at present to 22% in 2050. Two main causes of population ageing are increasing of life expectancy and low fertility. Life expectancy at birth had increased 20 years from 46 in 1950 to 66 in 2000, and it is expected to 10 years more from 66 to 76 during early part of 21 century. Population ageing is a triumph of development. We celebrate rising life expectancy as one of humanities' major achievement. Opportunity comes with challenge. Population ageing presents social, economic and cultural challenges to individuals, families, societies and global community. Population ageing leads to increased health care and social care service for older persons. We should transform these challenges into opportunities. It is how we choose to address the challenges and to maximize the opportunities that will determine the future of humankind. For this purpose, we need new paradigm. For upcoming ageing society, we have to think an age integration paradigm with positive image on ageing: Healthy and Active Ageing. In order to realize the new paradigm of healthy and active ageing, we need to utilize the achievement of gerontechnological research and development. A variety of gerontechnologies that are being developed rapidly will bring a new horizon to address the problems of ageing and dramatically improve life of older people. The International Association of Gerontology and Geriatrics (IAGG) will do its best to expand the new paradigm of 'Healthy and Active Ageing' through its research and training activities worldwide.
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