When I was browsing the sites, I noticed that we have"international elders day". Of course, Mar, 5 each year is the traditional elders day in UK.
As I know in China, this year's elders day was Oct, 19, also the so-called "Double Ninth Festival".
Did you miss that day? What present did you buy for your grandpa or grandmother?
How about other countries?

Replying to [Trademan]:
Nothing for Elders, Pity

Replying to [Trademan]:
It seems no one cares

Replying to [Trademan]:

I do care, but it would be "shameless self promotion". Have a look at my avatar...

Replying to [Trademan]:
Yes, there are a number of senior citizens on the block, and in the Forum.

Elder's Day should be put into practice rather than lips service. One of the many teachings of Confucius is the respect for the elders, and filial piety is one of the greatest virtues on the line of good works.

In Japan, during elders day, they get free rides on the trains, free meals in the restaurants, and free shows at the cinemas. The Koreans also do respect their elders, and the address to them is on a different level as to their peers or subordinates. In China they call "chen pei" as their elderly and more experienced mentor. I do not know about Western cultures, but here in Singapore, the senior citizens gets discounted fares on public transports at off-peak hours. This has to do with the definition of a senior citizen, here we are facing an ageing population problem, where the declining birthrates produce more elderly people. The age was at 55 years old retirement for an average employee, and it went up to 60 years old, soon it will be 65 years old, as the number of old folks increases due to better health care system and living condition. But this will be a growing problem for the nation as an economically viable and dynamic country.

So the rehabilitation programs for the elders started to make extreme makeovers of the senior citizens. To learn the modern tools of the culture, and communication by providing computer training to operate Microsoft Office tools, to help them to use the Internet for research works, and to send emails or participate in chatrooms.

James OO7

Replying to [Trademan]: In Germany there is no Elders Day, but seperately a Mothers Day and a Fathers Day, both on sundays in May. No big thing actually. Mothers Day means you buy some flowers for your mother and go to a restaurant, so she does not have to be in the kitchen that day. Fathers Day means, you grap some friends and a lot of beer (no women allowed), than go somewhere in the woods and get stinking drunk. By the nature of that event, guys not having kids yet celebrate that most intensely.

Replying to [Laus]:

... and it was one of those days when I slept two hours in a dry ditch, right next to a highway...

Replying to [Trademan]:

It would be nice to celebrate Elders Day, ideally on the same date around the world. EVERYONE gets older, so it's a matter of time before we realise that hey am 80 today, but with no one caring.. how sad.

Replying to [smarco]:

Hi Nordin, good to see you back! Hope you had a lot of profitable business to do!

Anyway, that's a great idea! In many countries you'll find organizations that in one way or another take care of the elders, even if it's just about trying to influence legislation to protect them. Talking to these organizations might be a way to start a movement for the "Universal Elders' Day". How does that sound?

Replying to [germex]:

Let's see how many members (representing different countries) are keen to initiate this Universal Elders Day. Moderators/Alibaba staff may take note of this. What do we have to lose? If this idea doesn't work out at least we all have something to do in our spare time.

What we all need to do is simple - as Germex suggested (and that is an excellent suggestion) we could all talk/lobby/mention casually about this subject to people in relevant organisations, say this 'petition' comes from Alibaba members.

By the way, I'd respectfully call upon Mr Jack Ma, CEO of Alibaba.com here to spearhead this Alibaba 'community outreach' program. It would be a good gesture coming from Alibaba, at least to give moral support. Alibaba has the means to reach policy makers in at least a couple of countries through its media arm. The publicity and PR mileage can be tremendous boost to Alibaba's corporate image as a caring global 'institution'.

Am quite certain all of us are not getting any younger, so's Mr Ma, I think (but if anyone of us have come across that elusive 'fountain of youth' or is it called 'elixir' or something, then please do share the secret here, so that we may forget about this idea of an Universal Elders Day..)

We've had our Valentine's Day in younger days, and it'd be nice to have another 'V' (the similarity ends there unfortunately) Day with the world community celebrating..

Cheers everyone..!

Replying to [smarco]:

In fact, it could be another "V" day, like a "veterans' day" - veterans of the daily struggle we face in this life. Though unfortunately we would have to deal with organizations of ex-military personnel over the use of that word. Or what about "victory day", for the same reason, the victory over adversities in life. Jokingly I might add "viejos day", as "viejo" is Spanish for "old".

Well, there might be better names, so let's leave that alone for the moment. One thing is certain: we would need help if we really wanted the nomination of such a day. Asking Jack Ma and his organization is one approach, and there must be many more.

Who has some kind of relation to UN personnel? There we could address the nations and their governments more directly. If we could make this idea palatable to the right person, "our" day would become reality in no time. It's only a matter of tickling the ego of somebody "higher up", giving him the chance to put himself in the lime light.

When I was living in the US I realized that they have a "Grandparent day". Anybody knows who was behind that? That organization or person would be another good starting point. - Let's brainstorm this for a while, and eventually some kind of "road map to success" should come up.