People worldwide are living longer. By 2030, 1 in 6 people in the world will be aged 60 years or over.  The well-being of the elderly has always been a priority for the Holy Father. 

At the Holy See Press Office, a press conference set the stage for a transformative dialogue on global health and longevity. Key speakers included Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia, President of the Pontifical Academy for Life, who saw the example of Pope Francis as a lesson from which to learn. 

“I think that Pope Francis during his days in the hospital launched a great magisterium about fragility. Accepting to be fragile pushes all of us to be fragile. If we are obligated to take care of each other it is more difficult to fight,” Archbishop Paglia noted. 

Father Alberto Carrara, President of the Organizing Committee, and Dr. Venkatraman Ramakrishnan, the 2009 Nobel Laureate in Chemistry, also attended the conference discussing an interdisciplinary collaboration to reach one common goal. 

Dr. Venkatraman Ramakrishnan said, “The aim is not to make people live much longer, but healthier lives.” 

Adding a personal dimension to the summit’s theme, Professor Giulio Maira—esteemed neurosurgeon and Founder of the Atena Foundation—spoke about the role of resilience and inner strength in overcoming illness. Drawing on his experience as the former Director of the Institute of Neurosurgery at Gemelli Hospital, he remarked: 

“We must face the overcoming of illness with a serene spirit, because healing often comes from within. Being depressed, being bitter about what happens to us reduces our immune defenses, which in turn worsens the progression of the illness itself.” 

Following the press conference, the inaugural Vatican Longevity Summit convened nearby the Vatican.  

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Adapted by Jacob Stein 

Produced by Alexey Gotovsky, Camera: Fabio Gonnella, Video Editor: Ilaria Chiementi.