This weekend I’m heading to Colombia to deliver the keynote at the annual conference for the Fundación Saldarriaga Concha on demographics and aging Sept. 4 in Bogotá. It’s my first visit to Colombia and I’m honored that I was invited to speak about my efforts to change aging around the globe.
I’ll be sharing the stage with Colombia’s Health Minister and the nation’s First Lady. Colombia is experiencing a similar age boom to the United States and is set to have the largest population of older adults in the nation’s history by 2020. I congratulate Colombia for this achievement — it is a great success to grow so many elders.
The Fundación asked me what Colombia should do over the next seven years to prepare for this boom? My advice – start thinking about older Columbians in terms of the good they can do for society. Look for ways of increasing the influence older people have in the lives of younger people, and see them as an asset, not as a burden.
From Bogotá I hop on an airplane and head straight to Michigan for the 5th Annual Green House Project Meeting and Celebration in Grand Rapids Sept. 5-7. If you’ve read Tribes of Eden you know it takes place in New York. But if I had to pick one state that embodies the real tribes of Eden, it would be Michigan (I can’t WAIT for the comments ripping me on this one) — home to more Eden Alternative registered homes and Green House Projects than any other state. This will be one of the most interactive Green House conferences to date, with livestream video coverage and livechat social stream provided by our editor Kavan Peterson’s new creative firm ChangingMedia. Dont miss it.
My travels continue with stops in Washington, D.C., and Baltimore for classes at the Erickson School and a special Tribes of Eden book event Sept. 13 hosted by GEDCO at Stadium Place, home to Maryland’s first Green House Project. Follow the link for details, it’s going to be a great event.
The following week Jude and I will be visiting Iceland, where I understand the days will already be quite dark. But I’m sure the hospitality will shine all the brighter.
