“Greetings to Age” on October 1 The elderly persons will enjoy a cultural program on the International Day for the Elderly that is marked on October 1. The events themed “Greetings to the Age” will take place in the square of the National Opera House in Chisinau. Within the activities, young volunteers will share greeting cards to elderly people in all the districts of the capital city. The activities are organized by the Joint Integrated Local Development Program (JILDP) in partnership with the Ministry of Labor, Social Protection and Family and a number of international organizations, Info-Prim Neo reports, quoting a communiqué from the JILDP. Activities of the kind will also take place at the Straseni-based Day Center “Rasarit” (“East”), where there will be staged an exhibition of photographs titled “Vulnerable Groups in the Context of the Decentralization Reform: the Elderly People”. The events are aimed at informing the people about the situation of the elderly persons in Moldova, at promoting the positive image of the elderly in society and at making them heard. Currently, about 40% of the elderly people in Moldova are living below the poverty line. The poverty rate among the elderly was 37.2% in 2008 and 2009, by over 10% higher than the average at national level. The average pension represents less than 59% of the minimum consumer basket. The communiqué says the elderly people can and should be equal partners in local development. The Joint Integrated Local Development Program (JILDP) supports the Government of Moldova in its decentralization efforts and in the process of strengthening local autonomy and aims to ensure equal benefits for the vulnerable groups, including the discriminated, socially excluded and marginalized persons. It is implemented with the assistance of UNDP Moldova, UN Women and the financial support of the Swedish Government. JILDP aims to ensure that vulnerable groups, including discriminated, socially excluded and marginalized categories, are able to equally enjoy the benefits of decentralization and local development.