On this Day of Our Elders, Ivo Valdés, president of the Aruba Public Pensioners Organization (OPPA), delivered a message meant as both a tribute of gratitude, love, and respect—and a call to protect seniors’ rights and dignity.
“We stand with deep gratitude to honor and recognize our elders. They are the roots of our families and the foundation of our nation. Their work, sacrifice, and perseverance built a better future for us,” Valdés said. He added that Aruba’s achievements rest on the dedication of its elders, and honoring them must go beyond words: they deserve daily respect.
Valdés encouraged everyone to:
- Offer words of love and thanks—reminding elders they are not forgotten.
- Show care and attention—often a hug or a visit is worth more than gold.
- Commit as a community and government to defend seniors’ rights to a dignified life, with care, protection, and respect.
- Reflect on the meaning of this day: a country that honors its elders grows with dignity and safeguards its future.
Our elders are pillars of development and the heart of our communities,” he concluded. “Let us see older people not as a burden, but as treasures of incalculable value. On behalf of OPPA’s board and all its members, I wish every elder a happy day.
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