Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Doha (Agenzia Fides) - The International Seminar on the Arab Family in the 21st Century: Issues and Challenges,” commemorating the International Day of the Family (May 15) was held in Doha (Qatar), organized by the Doha International Institute for Family Studies and Development. The Institute for Family Policies (IPF) along with the Family Breakdown Working Group of the United Kingdom were the only European institutions invited to the event. In addition, the Institute for Family Policies was the institution chosen to present the European vision on the situation of the family, in its most recent statement that was presented to the European Parliament on May 7, according to a statement from IPF sent to Agenzia Fides. The seminar was attended by representatives from institutions of countries like Qatar, Kuwait, Japan, Bahrain, United Kingdom, Egypt, Australia, Malaysia, etc. According to Noelia Garcia, Communications Director for the European Network of the IPF, and speaker at the international seminar, “the seminar has confirmed that the demographic winter, denounced by the IPF in its most recent report on the Evolution of the Family in Europe 2008, is not only affecting Europe - where it is unfortunately already a reality - but it is also being suffered, although on a smaller scale, in the countries of the Middle East, such as Qatar and the Arab Emirates, and countries of northern Africa such as Morocco and Tunisia.”
“If it is already something positive in itself that the various representatives from international institutions have been able to gather and share our own perspectives on the future of the institution of the family, the threats that the family suffers and the positive practices that are taking place in different countries in order to promote family policies, even more positive has been the fact that we have been able to show the importance of the family as an institution on a world-wide scale, in countries of all different races, cultures, and religions, and the enormous social functions that are implied. There is an authentic and natural ‘Alliance for the Family’ in the entire world,” the IPF’s Communication Director said.
“This reality is of great importance and thanks to it, important institutions within the Arab world have been established, such as the Doha International Institute for Family Studies and Development, organizers of this seminar, or the Family Consulting Centre, which has also participated in this encounter,” explained IPF’s representative in Qatar.
In addition to IPF’s representative, some of the other speakers were: Dr. Badria A Al Awadhi, Director of the Arab Regional Centre for Environmental Law of the University of Kuwait, Professor Emiko Ochiai of the Departament of Sociology of the University of Kyoto, Dr. Yahya El Haddad, professor of the University of Bahrain, Hassab Zaky, professor of the American University of Cairo, Mrs. Maryam Al Khater, of the Supreme Council for Family Affairs of Qatar, Majella Murphy, Director of the Positive Parenting Programme of Australia, Mrs. Bushra Jabre, of the Enabling Women Agency, Huda Al Subai, of the Family Consulting Centre of Qatar, Lee Wee Min, Asian Regional Director for Focus on the Family International, and Bushra Jabre, Director of the Communications Center at Johns Hopkins for Communications Programs. The Seminar was opened by Abdullah Bin Nasser, General Director of the Supreme Centre for Family Affairs of Qatar, and closed by Richard Wilkins, Director of the Doha Institute for Family Studies and Development. (RG) (Agenzia Fides 19/5/2008; righe 45, parole 561)
