I was in Rome to attend “The Memory: A Symposium Addressing the Opportunities and Challenges of an Aging Global Population,” the first-ever global aging symposium hosted at the Vatican, organized by the papal team in partnership with American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) – the world’s largest non-partisan and non-profit organization for the 50-and-over population. It had been planned months in advance by none other than Pope Francis himself; he had intended to be there personally. He had championed the importance of this issue, believing that aging is not a crisis but a call to compassion, innovation, and shared responsibility. His passing just days before the event transformed the gathering into something more, a quiet tribute to his vision and a rallying point for collective global action on healthy aging.

As the white smoke rose, that timeless symbol of renewal, I couldn’t help but feel the connection. A spiritual change of the guard, yes, but also a broader signal. The world is ready for new beginnings, not only in faith, but in how we see, support, and serve our aging populations. In that moment, the symbolism was profound, reflecting an urgent opportunity to reimagine the future for the world’s older adults.

Inside the walls of the Vatican, that vision took shape.

The symposium brought together a global and distinguished community, leaders from science, public policy, global health and faith, each united by a common cause: preparing our societies for a future where older adults are not superfluous castoffs to be ignored or forgotten but rather valued and respected members of our communities. Over two days, we explored the pressing realities of caregiving, dementia, longevity, and the evolving structure of families and communities. 

We examined essential questions. How do we protect the dignity and rights of older adults? How can we strengthen caregiving systems and promote brain health across the life course? What does aging with dignity look like in developing countries, where health systems are stretched, and communities are rapidly transforming? These are not distant concerns. They are the shared future of all of us, as the population of older adults is rising globally, in general, but in the LMICs in particular.

I was honored and humbled to serve as a featured discussant in a session focused on brain health across the life course. Together, we explored how education, research, awareness, and early intervention can support cognitive resilience and how we can equip caregivers, support families, and promote healthy aging practices based on local realities and contexts.

It mattered deeply that I was there, not just as a participant, but as a voice from the Global South. Too often, the Global South is ‘absent’ when global conversations take shape. Yet aging is accelerating fastest in low-and middle-income countries (LMICs); regions that are least prepared. I spoke about that gap, and that about 80% of the world’s population of people over 60 years of age will be residing in the LMICs by 2050. I also discussed the need for inclusion beyond representation to real collaboration and action. We need strategies that are grounded in culture, adaptable to context, and designed with equity at their core. 

The leadership of faith communities was another powerful dimension of this gathering. Faith leaders are not bystanders in this dialogue. They are moral anchors, ready to lead on issues like caregiving, brain health, and the dignity of older adults. Seeing Catholic and Muslim leaders standing together, not to preach, but to advocate for compassion and justice, was a moment to behold.

The symposium concluded with the signing of the Vatican City Declaration of the Pontifical Academy of Life – AARP - Muslim Council of Elders, a bold and binding commitment to aging populations around the world. Like the white smoke from the chimney at the Vatican, it marked not an end, but a beginning. A moment of shared purpose, renewed priorities, and an invitation for every sector of society to rise to the challenge.

As I left the Vatican, I kept thinking of the smoke. White against the Roman blue sky, it lingered only for a moment, but it meant everything. It was a signal and a reminder that change is possible when we choose to see aging not as decline, but as continuity of the circle of life.

And from St. Peter’s Square in Rome, I carried home a simple truth; the world’s aging population is growing fast. The question is, how will our systems, our research, science, and policies respond in defending and promoting the value and dignity of older adults, and will our community grow with the much-needed compassion and dignity for older adults? I am reminded of the words of His Highness the Aga khan IV – the founding chancellor of the Aga Khan University; “One of the benchmarks of a truly civilised society is the quality of care it provides for its elderly population. To treat aging as a burden, rather than a privilege, is to misunderstand the essence of human dignity.” 

And now that I reflect upon it, in many ways, Pope Francis and His Highness the Aga Khan IV stood as moral beacons in a world facing the realities of an aging population. From different faiths but a shared humanity, both leaders urged us to see aging not as decline, but as a vital phase of life deserving of dignity, respect and care. Their voices carried wisdom, empathy and moral clarity, and now, with both having passed this year, their message feels even more urgent. 

It is clearly our ethical responsibility to collectively defend and promote the value and dignity of older adults and to foster strategies to maintain brain health.