age friendly hyphen

Age-friendly symposium programme announced

Release date: 06/11/2025

On Monday 17 November, the Office for Seniors will bring together global experts, local champions, and creative thinkers to explore how to drive change and build age friendly communities. 

 

Opening with a welcome from Minister Casey Costello and global experts, the symposium will explore bold ideas for age-friendly cities — from health and housing to urban design and community innovation. 

 

Programme 

Designing Cities for Every Age - Age Friendly Cities and Communities Symposium 

 

Morning 

9:30 – 10:00 AM Registration 

 

10:00 – 10:20 AM Welcome and opening from Hon Casey Costello, Minister for Seniors 

 

10:20 – 10:50 AM Introduction to age-friendly environments 

  • Learn how global frameworks and local leadership can support practical, age-friendly change. 

  • Speakers: Dr Thiago Hérick de Sá, World Health Organisation and Dr Tessa Madden, Office for Seniors 

10:50 – 11:20 AM Living well in later life: Implications for health system design. 

  • Explore how our health system can support older people to live well with dignity. 

  • Speaker: Dr Vickie Saunders, Ministry of Health 

11:20 – 11:50 AM Under the Tōtara: Listening well, growing together 

  • Discover how Kāpiti Coast District Council built community-led age-friendly action. 

  • Speakers: Norie Parata and Emma Haxton, Kāpiti Coast District Council  

11:50 AM – 1:00 PM Lunch (Catered by Everybody Eats) 

 

Afternoon: Best-practice showcase 

1:00 – 1:25 PM – Session 1 

Option 1: Hei Manaaki: Kaumātua-led and whānau-centred innovation in housing, infrastructure, health, and social enterprise. 

  • Speakers: Rangimahora Reddy, KSM, Rauawaawa Kaumātua Charitable Trust and Yvonne Wilson, Te Rūnanga o Kirikiriroa 

Option 2: The Australian Urban Observatory and designing liveable cities for healthy ageing. 

  • Speakers: Professor Melanie Davern and Dr Lucy Gunn, Centre for Urban Research, RMIT University 

1:30 – 1:55 PM – Session 2 

Option 1: Co-designing age-friendly cities: Policy, partnership, and equity. 

  • Speaker: Associate Professor Emi Kiyota, National University of Singapore 

Option 2: Gardening for change: Community-led insights from CCREATE-AGE 

  • Speaker: Dr Tamika Simpson, University of Auckland 

2:00 – 2:30 PM – Session 3 

Option 1: Spotlight on age-friendly initiatives in local government 

  • Speakers: Claire Wilson, Whangarei District Council and Rachael Kawana, Napier City Council 

Option 2: Listen up! A creative response to the seniors’ housing crisis 

  • Speakers: David Cook and Professor Anna Brown, Massey University 

2:30 – 3:00 PM Afternoon tea 

 

3:00 – 3:20 PM: Age-friendly communities: Widening our gaze 

  • Recognise the unique opportunities and challenges for age-friendly initiatives beyond urban settings. 

  • Speaker: Dr Sara Napier, Auckland University of Technology 

3:20 – 4:00 PM Panel discussion and wrap-up 

Presentations and videos of some sessions will be available from the Office for Seniors website after the event. 

Find out more about the Symposium and ICUH conference