On Sunday afternoon, May 17, 2026, the Dutch Universal Peace Federation (UPF NL) and Women’s Federation for World Peace (WFWP) organized a celebration of the International Day of Families (IDF). UPF NL secretary general, Dr. Willem Koetsier, warmly welcomed everyone and announced the theme of IDF 2026 observance: Families, Inequalities and Child Wellbeing. He then read the following text from the United Nations website (c.f. https://www.un.org/en/observances/international-day-of-families).
Subsequently, Dr. Koetsier emphasized the importance of the family from the perspective of UPF and WFWP. Husband and wife are equal partners who complement each other. A family with children provides a good training ground for the different kinds of love: the love of parents for children (most unconditional, like God's Love for humanity), the love of children for their parents, brotherly and sisterly love (also important for friendships), and the love between husband and wife (forming a powerful core). Important in this regard is growth towards the spiritual maturity of individuals, as well as good preparation for marriage and further guidance.
After this Mrs. Elizabeth Giuliano was introduced. She is the President of the WFWP in The Netherlands, holds a bachelor’s degree, experience from working in different companies and is the mother of three children.
Mrs. Giuliano emphasized the vital role families played as the foundation of society and key contributors to peace, stability, and social development. She highlighted the strong connection between the values of the day and the mission of WFWP International, which promotes peace, unity, and the empowerment of women and families.
She acknowledged the challenges faced by families worldwide, including economic hardship, social injustice, conflict, and displacement, and explained how WFWPI has responded through initiatives that empower women, encourage education, foster intercultural and interreligious dialogue, and support reconciliation. She concluded by affirming that peace begins within families and that strong, loving homes are essential for building more compassionate, just, and peaceful societies.
Intervention of Mrs. Elizabeth Giuliano
The next speaker was Mrs. Margriet Noot Heidemann, who has gained in her life a lot of experience as a teacher, family counselor, mother and grandmother.
In her speech, Margriet Noot Heidemann argued that the traditional family is increasingly being weakened by social, economic, and institutional trends that prioritize productivity, individualism, and professionalized childrearing over family relationships. She maintained that children’s most fundamental need is not independence, education, or material comfort, but secure attachment to loving and responsible adults, ideally their parents.
Drawing on decades of research and her experience with the Neufeld Institute, she emphasized that healthy development arises from strong emotional bonds, which provide children with safety, resilience, and the confidence to grow into independent adults. She concluded that families, not institutions, remain the primary environment for human development and called for renewed investment in strengthening family relationships, parental confidence, and intergenerational support.
Intervention of Mrs. Margriet Noot Heidemann
After the speeches a dialogue took place at the tables, while dinner was served. The audience and speakers expressed that observing the International Day of Families is very important and the desire that more attention be paid to family values education.