Dubai: To celebrate International Day of Older Persons on October 1, dozens of elderly residents on Sunday got together in Dubai for an evening of sharing old memories and planning new ones.
Organised by the Golden Age Group for the elderly and hosted by Emaar Community Management (ECM), the event was held at The Greens & Views.
Guests, who were at least 60 years old, socialised over dinner, moving from table to table at the lawn along Street 3.
Naseem Durrani, founder of the Golden Age Group, said elderly residents often feel lonely and bored.
“This is the first time we hosted an event marking [International Day of Older Persons] in dedication to senior residents in the UAE. Both familiar and new faces can be seen here today, members and non-members alike. The idea behind the event is to welcome and honour the elderly, share memories and make new friends,” Durrani, who is a Pakistani national, said.
“When I came to Dubai in 2012 — my son had got a job here — I could not find any social circle for elderly people like myself. In Pakistan, I had created a senior citizen club and, with support from ECM, I decided to do something similar here in Dubai.”
Today, the Golden Age Group has 64 members. It organises picnics and other activities for the elderly. On Sunday, roughly 150 to 200 people — senior residents and their families and friends — mingled at the event.
“You don’t see a lot of senior residents here when you stroll around the streets. That’s because there are not many of us here, to begin with, but also because there needs to be something for us, something to draw us out. That’s one reason why we organised [Sunday’s] event, as a social get-together.”
M.D. Mohiuddin, a retired teacher from India who attended the event, said: “This is a great event; this is the first time I’m seeing something like this for the elderly. Many senior residents don’t have much to do at home; the sons or daughters are busy with their day jobs. So having social gatherings like this feels very welcoming and allows people to swap stories.”
During the event, Durrani was handed keys to The Backyard, a new, small organic garden by Emaar, as an honour and dedication to senior residents, located along Street 3.
Durrani, who is a lifetime member of Arts Council of Pakistan, said he has received a number of awards in Pakistan and the UAE for his initiatives for the elderly.
