Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Brussels (Fides Service) - After the successful demonstration to defend authentic marriage and the rights of children organised June 18 in Madrid, Spain, it is the turn of the Belgian capital Brussels, where parliament is discussing a smiliar law to allow children to be adopted by same sex couples. In Belgium when sex unions were legalised in June 2003 the law did not include adoption of children. On Saturday 10 September thousands of families will take to the streets in Brussels to defend the rights of orphans to be adopted by a real family consisting of a mother and a father. The demonstration, with the slogan “La famille, c'est vraiment important!” will take place at 2.30pm at Parc du Cinquantenaire. The Spanish family Forum FEF, the HazteOir Platform and Family Policity Institute, organisers of the June 18 pro-family demonstration in Madrid, have adhered to the event in Brussels.
International suupport for the demonstration exceeds all expectations according to IPF European network, in charge of international cooperation. Support has been assured from 10 international federations present in 58 paesi and over 600 national associations in 21 countries(Norway, Poland, France, Ireland, Portugal, Italy, Spain, USA, Canada, Mexico, Panama, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Puerto Rico, Ecuador, Colombia, Argentina, Brazil, Australia and New Zealand) representing 20 million families. This international demonstration of solidarity will make Brussels World Family Capital on Saturday 10 September. At the same time in various cities in Spain similar demonstrations will be staged in front of Belgian embassies and consolates.
Lola Velarde, President of the European IPF network said “it is outragious that in Europe of the 21st century there should be a move to suppress the rights of chidlren, ignore the opinon of society and also the scientific community which has affirmed that children adopted by homosexual couples suffer irreversible consequences and governments have the duty to guarantee the wellbeing of the child given in adoption. Brussels cannot legislate against the weakest of our citizens. To the thousands of Belgian families who will be in the streets on 10 September - Lola Velarde continued- we must add more than 20 million families who have joined through associations all over the world to show their disapproval of this kind of law. This is the whole world crying out to defend the family”.
The organisers critize the Belgian government for drafting the new law on the basis of superficial phsychological studies and urge people to take part regardless of political, philosophical or religious orientation “to demosntrate that the family is the first of our priorities and the child is the centre of our concerns”.
In a statement in support of the September 10 demonstration in Brussels the Catholic Bishops Conference of Belgium affirmed that the march is neither religious or political “it is a reaction to protest against a proposed bill to allow children to be adopted by homosexual couples”. The Conference encouraged participants “to take part in the initiative, an act in favour of the family founding pillar of our society” (RG) (Agenzia Fides 8/9/2005 righe 39 parole 522)
