In 1993, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution to celebrate May 15th as “International Day of Families” worldwide. To mark the occasion, the Universal Peace Federation (UPF) Austria, together with the Family Federation for World Peace, the Austrian Women’s Federation, and the Iranian Wisdom House Vienna, organized a conference on May 17th 2025 addressing the topic of “Family-Orientated Policies for Sustainable Development”.
The conference, held at the Peace Centre of UPF and moderated by Ms. Marinela Stefanc, drew an international audience as well as renowned speakers who presented and discussed the importance of the concept of the family in today’s turbulent world.
UPF Austria President, Mr. Peter Haider, opened the conference with a warm welcoming speech. A software professional, Mr. Peter Haider has dedicated himself to inter-religious dialogue since 1984 and has been active with UPF for the past 20 years. A proud father of four sons and grandfather of 10 grandchildren, he cannot emphasise enough the importance and bliss of family life. Mr. Haider’s greetings were followed by the conference speakers including Mag. Elisabeth Cook, Dr. Wadih Maalouf, Dr. Reza Gholami, Mr. Derwin Morillo and Ms. Yuru Peters.
Mrs. Elisabeth Cook, President of the Austrian Family Federation, pointed out in her speech the unalterable connection among the family members. To understand each other’s role, however, it is not enough to adhere to traditional values; rather we should offer a new and holistic perspective where family members with different tasks or responsibilities depending on their position all hold the same value and dignity. A healthy family provides both space for its members to grow and develop and serves the social good. Mrs. Cook also advocated the need for character education within the public education system, starting as early as kindergarten.
Dr. Reza Gholami, Cultural Attaché of the Iranian Republic to Austria, is a renowned scholar who specialized in political and intercultural philosophy, Islamic philosophy, and cultural studies. He spoke on cultural diversity vs. single culture in the family, mentioning that maintaining traditions shall be the goal of communities. Dr. Gholami stressed that sustainable development should include many models based on cultural differences; there should not be just one approach. At the same time, there must be respect for human rights by preventing traditions from being used to limit freedoms, especially for women and children. By valuing diversity and using guides like the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, we can create a fair, peaceful, and sustainable future.
Dr. Wadih Maalouf from Lebanon is a seasoned UN professional, having worked there since 2006. A graduate of Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, he is a global programme coordinator at the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, working tightly with the WHO. He emphasized the family as a social institution and rounded up his presentation by reciting the great Lebanese poet Khalil Gibran’s “On Children” from the book “The Prophet”, which very much touched the audience.
Mr. Derwin Morillo from Venezuela reminded the audience that Venezuela has the richest oil resources in the world, but the country, which was once rich, is now very poor, unfortunately. Amid corruption and other setbacks, the family problem is a serious issue in society. Forty percent of families have single mothers, and nine out of ten single mothers live under the poverty line. Mr. Morillo pointed out that family breakdown and economic decline are interrelated. His greatest hope for the family is peace, goodness, and humanity.
Ms. Yuru Wang-Peters shared her experience of intercultural marriage. She herself grew up in Austria, whereas her parents emigrated from Singapore to Austria. She and her husband, who has a German-Russian background, live in Vienna with their three children in a three-generational household. She compared the family to a school of love, learning and sacrifice. A successful family life needs members who overcome selfishness. In Asia, it is normal to see three generations under one roof, which is by no means easy. Respect, patience and love are obviously essential elements in keeping a large family harmonious.
“True Family Awards”, the highlight of the conference, honoured five couples, respectively from Austria, the Philippines, Nigeria, Lebanon, Pakistan, and Australia. The conference was enriched by musical performances which included the FFWPU choir singing “You raised me up” and “Von guten Mächten”, in addition to a violin performance of a sonata piece by G.P. Telemann.
Following the main event, participants were invited to a buffet, providing an opportunity for animated discussions, meeting old friends, and making new acquaintances.
Report by Helen Chang, published in “Sinopress” & Family Federation