About the project
The earth’s population is about to become the oldest it has ever been. By the year 2030, one in six people will be over the age of 60, which impacts every member of society. To document this historic moment, photographers around the world have been showing what it looks like to live in this transformational time.
Approach
Launched in 2023, 1in6by2030 looks at both the challenges and huge potential that individuals, societies and governments are confronting during this unprecedented demographic shift. Over the course of seven years, photographers across the globe are documenting how individuals and societies navigate this reality through work, faith, family and health, giving us a window into a broad range of experiences.
The initiative was founded by world-renowned photographers and filmmakers who recognize the imperative of centering our elders as we face the social and environmental challenges of the 21st century. In order to achieve this vision, we invite creators from every continent to share their insiders’ perspective of what it means to grow older. Our approach emphasizes diversity of voices, local representation, cost effectiveness and a mindfulness about the impact of travel on the earth’s climate.
Our goal is to create an extensive archive that can help shift narratives around aging while elevating the visibility of our elders. As the project unfolds, we are publishing and exhibiting stories to raise awareness and engage audiences worldwide. Ultimately, we plan to mount a traveling exhibition in 2030 that will raise the profile of this universal phenomenon.
Join Us
We invite NGOs, educators, non-profits, photographers and publishers to join our collaborative effort.
We welcome partnerships with public art curators and funders to ensure the long-term success of this initiative.
Our Team
Ed Kashi is a photojournalist, filmmaker and educator dedicated to documenting the social and political issues that define our times. As a contributing photographer to the VII Foundation, Kashi has been recognized for his complex imagery and its compelling rendering of the human condition.
Ilvy Njiokiktjien is a Dutch photojournalist, filmmaker, podcast host, and educator who has been telling visual stories for nearly two decades. Based in Utrecht, she is a contributing photographer to the VII Foundation.
Julie Winokur launched Talking Eyes Media in 2002 as a way to create visual media that catalyzes positive social change. Her work has appeared on The New York Times, The Washington Post, Time, PBS and National Geographic.
Norah Tahiri is a photographer, photo editor, and creative producer based in Austin, TX.
Sara Terry (1955–2025) was an award-winning documentary photographer and filmmaker whose work explored reconciliation, resilience, and community in the aftermath of conflict.
Funding & Partners
We're proud to collaborate with a diverse group of partners. Please reach out if you'd like to learn more.
'Climate Elders' (launch 2025) is supported by Thomas M. Neff.
The UN Decade of Healthy Ageing is a global effort to foster longevity with vitality by promoting an inclusive society that values, supports, and engages older populations.
The Global Campaign to Combat Ageism, led by the World Health Organization, is a global effort aimed at building a world for all ages by changing the way we think, feel and act toward aging.
HelpAge International champions the rights and well-being of older people worldwide, aiming for a world where all can live dignified, healthy, and secure lives.
The VII Foundation is committed to in-depth journalism covering the crucial issues of our time.
A conversation with VII Insider
Join us for a talk about '1 in 6 by 2030'. Sara Terry, Ed Kashi, and Ilvy Njiokiktjien share the stage with Nancy McGuire, John Curry, and Einar Njiokiktjien, giving us a genuine look into the stories behind their documentary.
Founders
Photographers Ed Kashi and Ilvy Njiokiktjien, have both had a long interest in issues surrounding aging. They invited photographer Sara Terry, their colleague from VII Photo, who focuses on long-term projects, to join them in creating a multi-year, visual storytelling archive that documents an unprecedented moment in the history of humankind.
Recent coverage
1in6by2030 Presents ‘Climate Elders’: Lives Reshaped by the Climate Crisis
1in6by2030 Presents ‘Climate Elders’: Lives Reshaped by the Climate Crisis
1in6by2030 Presents ‘Climate Elders’: Lives Reshaped by the Climate Crisis
Efeitos Das Mudanças Climáticas Nos Idosos
Efeitos Das Mudanças Climáticas Nos Idosos
Efeitos Das Mudanças Climáticas Nos Idosos
‘Climate Elders’: How climate change is hurting older people in the Americas
‘Climate Elders’: How climate change is hurting older people in the Americas
‘Climate Elders’: How climate change is hurting older people in the Americas
1in6by2030 & HelpAge International : Climate Elders
1in6by2030 & HelpAge International : Climate Elders
1in6by2030 & HelpAge International : Climate Elders
People over 60 report how the climate crisis affects them
People over 60 report how the climate crisis affects them
People over 60 report how the climate crisis affects them
Sacred Art Museum hosts 'Climate Elders' exhibition during COP 30 in Belém
Sacred Art Museum hosts 'Climate Elders' exhibition during COP 30 in Belém
Sacred Art Museum hosts 'Climate Elders' exhibition during COP 30 in Belém
Sharing Knowledge, Creating Impact: Photography, forms of data, and cultural production for arts and health
Sharing Knowledge, Creating Impact: Photography, forms of data, and cultural production for arts and health
Sharing Knowledge, Creating Impact: Photography, forms of data, and cultural production for arts and health
International network of photographers document Elders disproportionately affected by climate change
International network of photographers document Elders disproportionately affected by climate change
International network of photographers document Elders disproportionately affected by climate change
1 in 6 by 2030: Visual stories of an aging world
1 in 6 by 2030: Visual stories of an aging world
1 in 6 by 2030: Visual stories of an aging world
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Nog lang niet oud: 72-jarigen van over de hele wereld
Nog lang niet oud: 72-jarigen van over de hele wereld
Nog lang niet oud: 72-jarigen van over de hele wereld
An Ode to Happy Aging / Une ode au vieillissement heureux
An Ode to Happy Aging / Une ode au vieillissement heureux
An Ode to Happy Aging / Une ode au vieillissement heureux
Photographers around the world will show us what it looks like to live in this historic time
Photographers around the world will show us what it looks like to live in this historic time
Photographers around the world will show us what it looks like to live in this historic time
1in6by2030 aims to document the beauty and challenges of our aging society
1in6by2030 aims to document the beauty and challenges of our aging society
1in6by2030 aims to document the beauty and challenges of our aging society
Een ode aan 72-jarigen. In 2030 zal een op de zes mensen ouder dan 60 jaar zijn.
Een ode aan 72-jarigen. In 2030 zal een op de zes mensen ouder dan 60 jaar zijn.
Een ode aan 72-jarigen. In 2030 zal een op de zes mensen ouder dan 60 jaar zijn.
‘I feel so young, so full of life’: being 72 around the world
‘I feel so young, so full of life’: being 72 around the world
‘I feel so young, so full of life’: being 72 around the world
What it's like to be 72 — the faces (and wisdom) behind the age
What it's like to be 72 — the faces (and wisdom) behind the age
What it's like to be 72 — the faces (and wisdom) behind the age