World Family Policy Center Newsletter

* News relative to protecting the family worldwide *

Volume 3 Issue 8 - February 24, 2004

AN INVITATION TO JOIN

THE INTERCULTURAL DIALOGUE

IN CELEBRATION OF THE 2004

INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF THE FAMILY

This year marks the 10^th Anniversary of the first International Year of the

Family. Since 1994, concerned people from all walks of life all over the

world have asked, “What can I do to strengthen and protect the family?”

The Intercultural Dialogue in Celebration of the 2004 International Year

of the Family provides a landmark opportunity for every caring individual

and organization to make a crucial difference in safeguarding marriage,

family and children.

What is the Intercultural Dialogue?

The Intercultural Dialogue will encourage and collect the efforts of

academicians, NGOs, and other members of civil society during the

year-long series of events. It will facilitate—and a broad range of

Partners will cooperate to organize—family conferences and discussions

around the globe. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights declares

that “The family is the natural and fundamental group unit of society and

is entitled to protection by society and the state.” ARTICLE 16(3). The

Intercultural Dialogue will explore the realities and consequences of this

assertion.

How do I join the Intercultural Dialogue?

To find out more and to submit your application to join the Dialogue

please click here http://www.yearofthefamily.org then click on

Get Involved.

Why is the Intercultural Dialogue important?

The Dialogue will gather evidence regarding the current status of marriage

and family life, identify areas of concern, suggest possible approaches for

future marriage and family policy, and identify gaps in existing research

and knowledge. The Intercultural Dialogue, in short, will prepare “a brief

for the world” regarding the present and future status of marriage and

family life.

The Intercultural Dialogue consists of three components:

a. Independently organize discussions of family life and

family policy sponsored by NGOs and other members of

civil society

b. Regional meetings organized by the Secretariat of the

Intercultural Dialogue

c. The Doha International Conference on the Family.

The first regional meeting convenes in Mexico City at the World Congress

of Families III (March 29-31, 2004). The Mexico City meeting will be

followed by two-day academic conferences in Manila, the Philippines

(October 6-7, 2004), and Strasbourg, France (October 28-29, 2004). The

goal of these meetings is simple yet profound: (1) to collect the best

scholarship from around the world regarding the current state of marriage

and family life and (2) to make recommendations for future action regarding

both family policy and academic research.

The academic finding will be included in a formal report to the Doha Inter-

national Conference on the Family (November 30-31, 2004). This conference

will be attended by hundreds of diplomats and government leaders. Scholarship and other documents produced during the Dialogue will be published in a volume (or volumes) for world-wide dissemination.

As happened in 1994, this published scholarship could well set the global

agenda for the discussion of and further research into family policy for

the next decade.

What is the goal of the Intercultural Dialogue?

The Secretariat of the Intercultural Dialogue hopes to gather a comprehensive

global report of the status of marriage and family life. The Secretariat hopes to

identify not only what is already known about marriage and family life. But

what is not know, and to make concrete proposals for positive future action.

The Secretariat of the Intercultural Dialogue believes that an honest and dis-

passionate examination of current research will reveal that, in order to promote

social stability and sound social development, societies around the world

should strengthen marriage, respect for life, and parental involvement with

children. How to achieve these objectives, however, remains largely unknown.

Moreover, the overriding goal of the Intercultural Dialogue is collection of

sound and complete scholarship—not ideological argument. The Secretariat,

therefore, welcomes and encourage participation by all able academicians and

analysts.

What do we want you to do?

The Secretariat of the Intercultural Dialogue hopes to compile as complete and

accurate a global report as possible. This is a difficult process and your assistance

is vitally important. We urgently need your help in:

(1) Contacting other academicians, scholars, researchers, think tanks, legal

analysts and other specialists (particularly those outside the United States)

who are interested in family research and family policy;

(2) Providing suggestions regarding the structure and content of the Manila

and Strasbourg meetings;

(3) Helping to gather names of prominent scholars and researchers to make

presentations;

(4) Submitting abstracts or brief descriptions of your own work, studies, surveys

or other materials that my be relevant to the regional meetings.

Scholars who are invited to present papers at one of the regional meetings will have 40 minutes to present their findings (more if possible). The regional meetings will include time for informal discussions, questions and answers and other inquiry to the extent possible.

What resources do we provide?

Scholars invited to speak at the regional meetings or the Doha International

Conference on the Family will have all expenses paid by the Secretariat

(including air fare, accommodation, and a reasonable per diem).

All papers and research submitted to the Secretariat will be considered for

inclusion in (a) the report to the Doha Conference and (b) inclusion in the

final volume(s) of published research that will be compiled at the conclusion

of the Intercultural Dialogue.

PLEASE JOIN US. WE NEED THE HELP OF EVERY ORGANIZATION

AND INDIVIDUAL WHO CARE ABOUT PROTECTING THE FAMILY.

http://www.yearofthefamily.org

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COMING EVENTS

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February 28, 2004

Interfaith Conference on Defending Marriage & the Family

Sponsored by Family Action Council International

Washington, DC

For more information: http://www.marriageconference.org

Please note: There is no charge for this conference; however, space is

limited. Those who are seated for the afternoon session (1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.)

will be assured seating for the evening session (7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.); others will

be admitted only on a space-available basis.

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March 29-31, 2004

World Congress of Families III

Allan Carlson, Chair of the General Secretariat, announced that

the World Congress of Families III will be held at the spacious

Centro Banamex convention center in Mexico City, March 29-31, 2004.

For more information:

http://www.worldcongress.org/WCF3/wcf3_home.htm

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Note: The preceding excerpts are highlights of current events and do not

necessarily represent the views of the World Family Policy Center

or Brigham Young University.

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Newsletter created and distributed by:

World Family Policy Center

J. Reuben Clark Law School

Brigham Young University

Managing Director: Richard Wilkins

Executive Director: A. Scott Loveless

Newsletter Editors: Gary B. Lundberg and Joy S. Lundberg

If you have any articles, editorials, or papers you would like

circulated through the WFPC News network, you may submit them to

lundberg@lawgate.byu.edu

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