"The equitable access to digital technologies is not only a moral responsibility, but also essential for world prosperity and sustainability. It also includes more than 1 billion of 60-year-olds and over in whom celebrations for the World Telecommunications and Information Society Day (WTISD) are focused this year".

It was ensured by the Secretary-General of International Telecommunications Union (ITU), Houlin Zhao, on this special occasion — coincidental with the International Internet Day— which is annually celebrated on May 17 since 1969 in commemoration of the ITU foundation and the signing of the first International Telegraph Convention in 1865.

The demographic trend set in this 21st century is the world population aging, which entails opportunities not yet considered by several nations. If this is in addition to the fact those who are now part of such population segment are the same people whom we owe advances achieved and who today face up to reality and challenges not even imagined in their youth, then it is more than valid to give them care and help in reciprocity.

Thus, the celebration topic is "Digital Technologies for the elderly and healthy aging", among other reasons.

For instance, the events experienced by humanity since the outbreak of the pandemic COVID-19, and especially its repercussions on senior citizens. Social distancing brought about by the sanitary situation in most of the planet, while resulting in particular affectation for those who are getting old, also showed — sometimes astonishingly — their capacity of resilience and learning.

In many diverse latitudes, the elderly could be seen committed to and dedicated as much as the best schoolchild to learning to communicate by using the digital technologies not to lose contact with their loved ones and friends.

Not few senior citizens were surprised at their own skills, ignored until then, to continue intellectually growing from the possibilities given by the world of information and communication technologies.

That is why it is very important, and not only related to certain anniversary of an event, the societies recognize among their priorities the healthy aging related to the use of digital technologies.

Not only for its benefits to the senior adults, but also because internalizing it would mean to face discrimination and contempt for age grounds, it would facilitate financial inclusion —related to the so-called silver economy— and a better working insertion into this sector, and, at the same time, it would help million of people in this world who take responsibility for being their caregivers.

The world and connectivity

New technologiesʹ potentiality, obviously, not only concerns the old age; it is right away painting us a future which might be splendid. 

However, achieving it could be quite difficult, mainly given the disparities which are leaving the whole planet with scars and, among other evidences, have also resulted in  almost three billion people do not have access to Internet, mostly in developing countries and particularly in rural areas.

Not out of pleasure, in his commemorative message, the ITU Secretary-General also declared "great possibilities lead to great responsibilities", and drew people's attention to the gender, generation and affordability gaps remain unsolved.

In this regard, the United Nations (UN) Secretary-General also  pointed out  in his message for the World Telecommunications and Information Society Day. In addition to  his congratulations offered to ITU, he exhorted: "…to seize to the maximum the opportunities offered by 5G, artificial intelligence, Internet of Things, digital health and other technologies, we must significantly improve accessibility and inclusion.”  

"Almost the half of the humanity does not have still access to Internet. By 2030, we must connect everyone, everywhere, as everybody should be able to size digital technologies not to be fallen behind. At the same time, we should take measures to prevent and minimize the technology information risks, particularly the deceptive information spreading and personal data exploitation."  

Grandparents in the Greatest Island in the Caribbean Sea

Nowadays, about 20% of the Cuban  population is 60 year old or over, and 17,4% of those senior citizens live alone.

According to demographic estimations, within three years, one out of four Cubans will be placed in the old age group and its rate of growth will be at the same time as accelerated as in the segment of so-called fourth age, over-75-year-olds.

Despite this complex demographic panorama and the complicated economic dilemma currently experienced by the Island, worsened by the US blockade, only last month, the regional director of the United Nations Population Fund for Latin America and the Caribbean, Harold Robinson, congratulated Cuba on its vanguard position in the implementation of dynamic demographic strategies.

In parallel with these great effort and results, in these days Cubans at the third age "have found themselves being challenged, not without expenses, to incorporate new skills indispensable for new times and to size possibilities offered by the digital scene in the organization of networks, and social and family relations."

It was commented by Dr. Patricia Arés Muzio who pointed out "Technology has become, in many cases, a great partner of old age and a way of facilitating and promoting active aging. Nevertheless, this reality constitutes a new disparity gap as everybody have access nor to connectivity neither the same opportunities (even within the families), in comparison to the digital natives who use available computers and mobiles more than their grandparents".

They are an easily verified reality as well as the alternatives Cuba has been working on to accompany grandparents in their capacity as analogue natives who are adapting to a world increasingly digital.

It's enough to type a couple of metadata in the search engines to find beautiful experiences as the Geroclub, managed back to 2007 and which at the present remains attaining amazing results.

It's enough to see how in the rolling hills of Buey Arriba, in Viñales, Pinar del Rio Province, and in plenty of the Cuban remotest geographies, especially young people are dedicated to info-literacy teaching to senior citizens in their community, to measure these efforts, so fostering that necessary generational exchange which ICT can also promote.

It's also enough to know about projects such as Las Golondrinas, or how much the University for Senior Adult has made in this regard, to count on only an approximate idea, in addition to the kindness like those today offered by platforms such as Transfermóvil, which make grandparents easier to pay services and other financial managements without leaving home.

At the same time, the new technologies also give even employment opportunities such as the Telecommunications Agents. Almost the half (49%) of these workers are 60 year old or over, contracted by the Cuba's Telecommunications Company, ETECSA S.A., aware of its social responsibility also in this field.

Not by sheer coincidence, the minister of Communications in Cuba, Mayra Arevich last month indicated when summarizing a meeting with activists in solidarity the country implements an inclusive digital transformation in spite of the US blockade. 

The Island makes progress with connectivity and service digitalization, Arevich expressed, but without excluding people because of lack of knowledge or access. 

About 70% of popular councils throughout the country have access to Internet and, on average, at the highest night peak of demand, more than two million of users are connected to the network.

And among them, obviously, the seniors, the Cuban grandmothers and grandparents who did not have motives left to celebrate this World Telecommunications and Information Society Day.