The permanent observer of the Holy See to the United Nations, Archbishop Ettore Balestrero, defended at the Human Rights Council in Geneva that the elderly should remain "active members of society". In his intervention during the 63rd session of the council, which runs from September 7 to October 9, the diplomat emphasized the importance of dialogue, understanding and accompaniment of elderly people.
The Italian archbishop explained that dependence and fragility "do not deny or obscure" human dignity, being "a manifestation of the human condition". Citing Pope Leo XIV's encyclical "Magnifica humanitas", he stated that the person is not defined by consciousness, intellect or capacities, as these may weaken or disappear, but dignity — recognized by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights — does not disappear with them.
Archbishop Ettore Balestrero warned of the "serious risk" of people with cognitive deficits being represented by others instead of being heard, as if reduced capacity meant reduced personality. He defended that the response should not be replacement, but support and relationship, so that the elderly may continue to exercise their rights.
At the opening of the session, the UN High Commissioner, Volker Türk, stated that "human rights are carriers of hope" and a "compass in turbulent times". This intervention comes after Pope Leo XIV denounced, in the message for World Day of Grandparents and the Elderly 2026, the abandonment of older populations and a climate of indifference and violence in families and societies.
