The 18th International Family Congress was held in Valencia (Spain) on the 1st and 2nd October, 2010, with the participation of more than 1,000 experts from 51 countries. Its conclusions are to be sent to United Nations Organization and will be implemented in hundreds of Family Enrichment courses that members of the International Federation for Family Development (IFFD) organize around the five continents.

Members of Parliaments and Governments of different countries have participated in the Congress, as well as some international experts. Among them, the minister of Economy of Lithuania, the minister of Education of Panama, the Vice President of the Valencia Region, the President of the Basque Parliament, an Italian senator and a Senator from Argentina. Different reports have been taken into account for the Conclusions, as those who show that stable families reduce by five for children the probabilities of committing a crime, by six those of getting an addiction to drugs, by two to have a bad relationship with their mother and by three to their father.

These results show the need for an institutional recommend that Governments establish an institutional mechanism to promote the family as a policy priority and ensure their rights in all legislations. As IFFD President, Mrs. Marina Robben from Belgium, said, “only when family perspective is integrated into making national and international policies true equality can be reached, and those who learn how to live human rights within the family will be in better conditions to promote their exercise in society.

Consequently, the family is the key agent to create the conscience and keep the exercise of human rights”.

Some videos about the Congress that can be seen in the YouTube Channel:

Some testimonies about the Congress (subtitled in English).

Bradford Wilcox (about his speech, English).

Newsreel in Valencian TV (Valencian/Spanish).

Full Dossier in Spanish (20 MB).

Conclusiones:
Conclusions: Declaration of Valencia

Videos (YouTube Channel).

Lithuania: “The University of the Families”

One hundred future Family Enrichment moderators started their training on October, 23rd in Lithuania. They were selected from nearly five hundred who had previously applied for the position.

“I wish this project could move the society its very basis”, said Antanas Zabulis, head of Omnitel, the corporation that is sponsoring the project.

All the staff involved in “The University of the Families” (name of the lithuanian association) are volunteers.

A commercial advertisement has been produced and broadcasted often in Lithuanian television to promote the project. It can be seen in our YouTube Channel:

Commercial (subtitled).

Closing of the Course.

Interview (subtitled).