The UN Committee on Intergenerational Solidarity(COIGENS,) a Substantive Committee of the Conference of Non-Governmental Organizations(CoNGO) in Consultative Relationship with the United Nations, elected its first Board Members on June 24, 2019 at the UN Church Center in New York City under the auspices of Dr. Liberato Bautista, President of CONGO. More than 20 NGOs voted for the following officers:
Chair - Rosa Perla Resnick, International Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse
Vice Chair – Susanne Seperson, Generations United
Treasurer - Kevin Brabazon, Generations United
Secretary - Tiana Smilow, Armenian International Women’s Association
Members-at-Large(3):
Kathy Kline, International Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse
Maria Grazia Zagami, Focolare, Rome
Alejandro Bonilla Garcia, Former International Civil Servants for Development(Greycells), Geneva
COIGENS began as a Sub-Committee on Intergenerational Relationships of the NGO Committee on Ageing in 2000. It was further inspired by the recommendation from the Second World Assembly on Ageing which developed the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing, entitled,“Intergenerational Solidarity”(#42, 43, 44),(April 2002, UN). COIGENS was approved as the NGO Committee on Intergenerational Solidarity at the 2018 General Assembly of CoNGO in Geneva on March 3, 2018. Its mission is to promote solidarity between generations in families, communities and nations for the achievement of a society for all ages through education and advocacy of policies affecting economic, social, and political participation and well-being in accordance with the principles of the UN. Dr. Bautista emphasized his vision of collaboration and cooperation with other NGOs worldwide and COIGENS is poised to do so.