emirates7 - The Sharjah Social Services Department (SSSD), through its Office of Age-Friendly Quality and Health Services, held a virtual introductory workshop at the invitation of the Kuwaiti Ministry of Health.
The session highlighted Sharjah’s achievements in becoming an age-friendly city and aimed to support Kuwait’s aspirations to join UNESCO’s Global Network for Age-Friendly Cities—a network that Sharjah became the first Arab member of in 2017.
This initiative reflects SSSD’s ongoing commitment to promoting the concept of age-friendly cities and sharing its knowledge with both regional and international partners. By hosting the workshop, the department sought to strengthen Arab collaboration and offer technical and informational assistance to help neighboring countries adopt global best practices in elderly care.
Asmaa Al-Khudari, Director of the Office of Age-Friendly Quality and Health Services, noted that Kuwait’s Ministry of Health has expressed strong interest in joining the network, building on its existing projects and programmes aimed at supporting the elderly population.
Kuwait is currently working to bring these efforts under a unified national framework that aligns with the network’s international criteria.
Al-Khudari pointed out that this is the second workshop of its kind to be held at the official request of the Kuwaiti ministry. Its goal is to provide guidance on implementing age-friendly standards and to share Sharjah’s trailblazing model in this field.
She emphasized that hosting such events is part of SSSD’s broader strategy to foster knowledge-sharing and reinforce Sharjah’s leadership role as a hub for expertise and innovation in elderly services across the Arab world.
Al-Khudari also expressed her hope that Kuwait will soon join the network, alongside other Arab nations that share the humanitarian goal of enhancing the quality of life for the elderly.
The workshop brought together officials from the Kuwaiti Ministry of Health, representatives from both public and private institutions involved in elderly care, and a notable group of senior Kuwaiti citizens. Their presence highlights the ministry’s dedication to incorporating the voices of the elderly in shaping future policies and programmes.
The session highlighted Sharjah’s achievements in becoming an age-friendly city and aimed to support Kuwait’s aspirations to join UNESCO’s Global Network for Age-Friendly Cities—a network that Sharjah became the first Arab member of in 2017.
This initiative reflects SSSD’s ongoing commitment to promoting the concept of age-friendly cities and sharing its knowledge with both regional and international partners. By hosting the workshop, the department sought to strengthen Arab collaboration and offer technical and informational assistance to help neighboring countries adopt global best practices in elderly care.
Asmaa Al-Khudari, Director of the Office of Age-Friendly Quality and Health Services, noted that Kuwait’s Ministry of Health has expressed strong interest in joining the network, building on its existing projects and programmes aimed at supporting the elderly population.
Kuwait is currently working to bring these efforts under a unified national framework that aligns with the network’s international criteria.
Al-Khudari pointed out that this is the second workshop of its kind to be held at the official request of the Kuwaiti ministry. Its goal is to provide guidance on implementing age-friendly standards and to share Sharjah’s trailblazing model in this field.
She emphasized that hosting such events is part of SSSD’s broader strategy to foster knowledge-sharing and reinforce Sharjah’s leadership role as a hub for expertise and innovation in elderly services across the Arab world.
Al-Khudari also expressed her hope that Kuwait will soon join the network, alongside other Arab nations that share the humanitarian goal of enhancing the quality of life for the elderly.
The workshop brought together officials from the Kuwaiti Ministry of Health, representatives from both public and private institutions involved in elderly care, and a notable group of senior Kuwaiti citizens. Their presence highlights the ministry’s dedication to incorporating the voices of the elderly in shaping future policies and programmes.