Prague, Czech Republic—UPF marked International Day of Families 2020 with a webinar attended by 40 participants.
“The Purpose of the Family and the Challenges Today’s Family Has to Face” was the title of the May 15 online conference. Attendees came not only from the Czech Republic but also from Slovakia and Austria.
Four prominent speakers were invited to present their views on the family, each from a different perspective:
Hon. Anna Záborská, former member of the European Parliament and current member of the Slovak Parliament.
Hon. Nina Nováková, former member of the Czech Parliament and current chairwoman of Central European Inspiration, an NGO that she founded.
Mrs. Jana Jochová, an activist and the chairwoman of Alliance for the Family.
Dr. Marcela Rozehnalová, president of the Czech chapter of Women’s Federation for World Peace (WFWP), an organization that is affiliated with UPF.
Hon. Záborská stated that a good and functional family brings to the society more assets than a family that does not function well. That‘s why politicians should support and strengthen families, she said. The family is not just a group of people living in the same household, she said. Family relationships are important for society, she said, especially the parent-child relationship.
Hon. Nováková said the family is the best guarantee for the sustainable development of a society. All parents want their children to be happier than they are. It is not true that young people are not interested in establishing a family, she said. A family cannot exist without love, she said.
Mrs. Jochová related some current information about legislature concerning the family. No state can exist without the family, she said.
The final speaker, Dr. Rozehnalová, emphasized that young people should be educated well for their marriage and family life. The family is a school of love, she said. Dr. Rozehnalová cited the 20th-century British historian Arnold J. Toynbee, who said that the decay of many civilizations has been caused by the decline of moral values followed by the breakdown of families.
A short discussion followed the presentations, during which the panelists answered questions from the participants. All the panelists expressed appreciation for the online conference, and many comments of the participants were also very positive.
The moderator reported on World Summit 2020 as an unprecedented global event which took place in Seoul in February, and he also mentioned upcoming events that will commemorate the centenary of UPF co-founder Rev. Dr. Sun Myung Moon.