3rd World Age Friendly Congress (Donostia/San Sebastian, 16th to 18th June)
General protocol for action between IMSERSO, the Basque Government, the Provincial Council of Gipuzkoa and the City Council of Donostia/San Sebastian for the development of collaborative actions aimed at organising the 3rd World Congress of Age Friendly Cities and Communities.
On 26 January 2026, the General Protocol of Actions was signed between the Institute for the Elderly and Social Services (IMSERSO), the Basque Government, the Provincial Council of Gipuzkoa and the City Council of Donostia/San Sebastian for the development of collaborative actions aimed at organising the 3rd World Congress of Age Friendly Cities and Communities, to be held in the city of San Sebastian from 16 to 18 June.
In this regard, the Global Network of Age Friendly Cities and Communities was promoted by the World Health Organisation (WHO) in 2010 in response to the rapid ageing of the population, with the aim of connecting cities, communities and organisations around the world with a common vision: to make their environments better places to age with dignity and quality.
Within the framework of the development of this project in our country, Imserso is responsible for the national coordination of the Age Friendly Cities and Communities Network in Spain and has been designated by the WHO as the body in charge of organising the Third World Congress on Age Friendly Cities and Communities, to be held in the city of San Sebastian in June 2026.
Along the same lines, the Basque Government, the Provincial Council of Gipuzkoa and the City Council of Donostia/San Sebastian have been undertaking various projects related to the promotion and advancement of measures to improve the quality of life for older people.
As a result, and given the importance of this issue for the four administrations involved, it has been decided to collaborate in the organisation, management, design and coordination of the aforementioned congress, which is seen as a unique opportunity to share learning and strengthen international cooperation in favour of fairer and more age friendly environments for all ages.
To this end, the protocol sets out the main lines of action that will govern this collaboration between the parties, such as the exchange of information and good practices, the coordination of institutional efforts, and the promotion and dissemination of the event.
