The 3,300 delegates to World Congress of Families IV in Warsaw May 11-13 agreed that Warsaw 2007 has been the best Congress to date.
World Congress of Families International Secretary Allan Carlson expressed warm appreciation and gratitude to the Polish host committee for their "exceptional work in organizing World Congress of Families IV."
Congress delegates offered insight into the proceeding and what World Congress of Families IV meant to them.
"Everyone here from all over the world recongnizes the necessity of protecting the family as the cornerstone of civilization. Without the family, you have nothing." Christine Carmouche, independent entreprenuer from Washington, D.C.
"The Church has many family congresses, but this is one of the few that brings together people of many faiths and cultures under one banner – family. This Congress is one of people who believe in the family – mom, dad, and kids. You might say, we are the family who believes in the family." Father Bennett Tierney, Limerick, Ireland
"I came to the Congress because I wanted to get an insight to start something new to help the family. The Congress showed me how active the pro-family scene is. I thought it was dead. The family is the basic, fundamental of the whole society. It's the foundation for happiness and fulfillment – your personal identity." Johannes Humpert, studying international business at Vienna University of Economics and Business.
"As a volunteer, I was impressed by the huge contributions of the participants, their willingness to share experiences and pass on the knowledge they have. Instead of coming here just to talk, they are looking for real solutions." Jakub Kubica, a student at Jagiellonian University in Cracow, Poland.
"I think the Congress is very important because it brings together people with a common approach to family issues. The Congress provides knowledge – up-to-date knowledge – of current family issues. The speakers are fabulous. Each of them was unique." James Mbui Maina, Kenya, soon-to-be candidate for the Kenyan Parliament.
"When I go back to my campus in the fall, I'll be better prepared to confront abortion advocates and students whose lifestyles aren't preparing them for a healthy marriage and family life." Andrea Summers, student at Arizona State University
These are just a few of the voices from World Congress of Families IV.
For more information on World Congress of Families IV, go to
www.worldcongress.org.
To schedule an interview with Allan Carlson, please contact
Larry Jacobs at 011-423-663-072-673.
The World Congress of Families (WCF) is an international network of pro-family organizations, scholars, and leaders that seeks to restore the natural family as the fundamental social unit and the 'seedbed' of civil society. The WCF was founded in 1997 by Allan Carlson, president of The Howard Center . To date, there have been
four World Congresses of Families – Prague (1997), Geneva (1999), Mexico City (2004),
and WCF IV in Warsaw, Poland, May 11-13, 2007.