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Commemorating the 10th Anniversary of the Year of the Family in Moscow

On May 28, a seminar commemorating the 10th anniversary of the UN declaration of the Year of the Family was held at the Marco Polo Hotel in Moscow.  In attendance were 70 social scientists, NGO workers and professional educators from the greater Moscow area. Opening the program was Yulya Vlasova, assistant director at the UN Department of Public Information in Moscow who gave a brief history of the UN’s declaration of the Year of the Family in 1994 and its continuing commitment to support the family structure in all cultures.

Ms. Vlasova was followed by Prof. Anatoly Antonov, Chairman of the Department of Family Health & Social Policy at Moscow State University and advisor to IEF, who gave a report on the state of the family in Russia. He pointed out that divorce rates in Russia rival those of the West, which are aggravated by problems with alcoholism, economic crises and general health problems. An added problem is the low birth rate resulting in an overall demographic trend of population decrease leading to further strains on family life.

Following Prof. Antonov’s presentation, Kirill Petukhovsky, of IEF-Russia, gave a presentation on IEF's approach to supporting marriage and family. The core of the presentation focused on four types of love which are cultivated in the family: the child’s love for her parents; the sibling’s love for each other; the wife's and husband's love for each other; and the parent’s love for their children.   Mr. Petukhovsky explained how each type of love contributes to the healthy development of a person’s character, teaching how to give and receive love in variuous stages of life, and how this development of love fosters ethical behavior and a stable, peaceful community.

Marina Zhuchkova, Moscow director of the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification, presented a report on her organization’s activities around Moscow in support of families and youth. Karina Kvazem, vice president of the Children of the World International Foundation, followed this with a brief report about her organization’s work with children.

The final speaker was Dr. C. Thomas Phillips, a graduate of Moscow State University and professor of sociology at the University of Bridgeport, who spoke about the value of the family in teaching unselfish cooperation in human relationships.  He related this to the important function the family fulfills in supporting social stability and sustainable development, referring to statements on these points made by the UN in its original 1994 declaration.

Over lunch special awards were presented to exemplary individuals selected for their devoted service to families and in promoting family values.

At the conclusion of the conference, participants adopted the following resolution:

In view of the importance of the family to the stability and sustainability of a healthy society, we, the participants of the conference commemorating the 10th anniversary of the UN’s declaration of the Year of the Family held at the Marco Polo Hotel in Moscow on May 28, 2004, hereby resolve the following:

The family is a “school of love” through which individuals, from early childhood through adulthood, can learn to grow their heart and conscience as a foundation for developing good character.

Marriage between a man and a woman who have committed themselves to each other in a pledge of eternal love is the foundation for a stable and loving family, the best environment for raising our children to become productive law abiding citizens.

Family values, such as mutual love, respect and responsibility, provide the foundation for the moral and ethical values of a civil society.

We are committed to work together with the United Nations to promote stable families for the benefit of our communities and the world.