The conference, entitled “Shared Responsibility: Cooperation Between States and Religious Communities in Europe,” and organised by the Hungarian EU presidency at the Museum of Ethnography in Budapest on Friday 0ctober 18, was a gathering of politicians, religious leaders, and experts from all over the world.
In the framework of lectures and round-table discussions, participants were thinking together about the religious and demographic challenges of the European Union, as well as the tasks to be solved.
Regina Maroncelli, president of ELFAC, was invited to speak at the roundtable discussion on “Demographic challenges of Europe”. The roundtable, moderated by Tünde Fűrész , President of the Mária Kopp Institute for Demography and Families, intend to explore the role of families and churches in facing the big issues related to the demographic crisis in Europe.
The speakers were Zoltán Fürjes, Deputy State Secretary for Church and National Minority Relations of the Prime Minister’s Office, from Hungary; Gudrun Kugler, theologian, jurist, from ÖVP (Austrian People’s Party), member of National Council of Austria; and Ciprian-Vasile Olinici, State Secretary for Religious Affairs of Romania. They draw a picture of what might be needed to reverse the plunging birth rates and depopulation affecting Europe.
“Inviting the representative of families at this symposium- said Mrs.Maroncelli- the organisers demonstrated to understand the fundamental role of families, in society as a whole and in the life of the churches. “
ELFAC’s president referred that among the European Social pillars there is no mention of family, althught family is the institution where children are born and raised: no State can take the place of the family, and any attempt to deprive it of its functions only produces unhappiness: therefore, “to fight for the recognition of the role of families in the society and in every community is just vital”.