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Madrid Marriage & Family Forum: The Culture of Marriage
Written by Mercedes González, Marriage & Family Peace Initiative Coordinator, UPF-Spain
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Madrid, Spain - Marriage is a very important step in life, based on a man and a woman desiring to start a new life together with the blessing of God. They will no more be individuals but a couple in love, unity and harmony with the purpose to create a relationship for eternity and to give birth to children. Knowing that marriage it is so important, we held a seminar on November 14 to proclaim its value and the best ways to keep it solid and unbreakable. We invited expert women to give us more education on the subject.
Divorce in these last two centuries is creating a lot of suffering and pain in adults’ heart and in children. We have to support married couples so that they can keep their marriage alive and safe, in constant growth and good development.
◘ Our educational part started with these Opening Remarks given by the UPF Secretary General Mr. Armando Lozano. He said: “Movies show families that are separated, remarried, divorce and so. In the seventies and eighties movies ended with the couple in love and a beautiful wedding. Marriage life and its commitment are very easy broken and dissolved in our days. We have to do something to change this situation.”
● The first presentation was given by the Coordinator of WAIT/Spain, Mrs. Sara del Monte Imoto. Her topic was Moral Sexual Education for Young People. She said: “Sexual purity before marriage guarantees that the couple will not have physical, emotional, or spiritual complications when they start their relationship in marriage. They know that they are the first ones in this conjugal relationship, so every emotion and experience for both partners is new, unique and very special.”
● Mrs. Shapiry Hakami, President of the Afghanistan Women’s Rights Association in Spain.
Her topic was general advice to preserve marriage. She said: “One of the secrets to be happy in marriage is to learn to forgive our partner, because when we nourish resentment or hate, it is impossible to be happy. To say 'I'm sorry' in any conflict is an attitude of wise and intelligent people. To avoid arguing, it is better to discuss things and think properly what we are going to say, before saying it. In our relationship we have to offer to our partner love, respect, trust, patience, understanding all the elements that we would like to receive ourselves.”
● Mrs. Ana María Reynés, a professional educator for couples, families and groups with the PRH International Foundation. Her topic was how to care for our relationship so it builds and grows. She said: “There are ways to keep relationships from dying:
- Avoid 'cancer' of egotism.
- Avoid mistrust, fear, and unnecessary negative ideas.
- Remember that marriage is an adventure of constant investment and care. It is way to enrich ourselves and our society.”
● Mrs. María Ángeles García-Zarco Martínez, a lawyer for cases of domestic violence and a professional educator for couples in relationships with conflicts. She is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Madrid. Her topic was the destructive culture of divorce.” She said: “The legal process of divorce in Spain takes much less time than marriage. Some couples have to wait for months before they can get married, but divorce takes place within days. Children and adults suffer from trauma and depression when their parents divorce and the divorced partners sometimes seek psychiatric care. Even then, the trauma remains for ever in their hearts. Society and the government press for easy divorce and then have to create ways to resolve the resulting problems. Men and women who have gone through one divorce find it easier to go through a second. So children loose their emotional stability and identity.”
● The closing remarks were given by Mrs. Silvia Cerrada Jiménez, vice-president of AEPODMUS and the Family Forum of Muslims in Spain. She said: “In our global society, the is very important but these days it is in a severe crisis. Joint efforts are needed to avoid conflicts between husband and wife, parents and children, and brothers and sisters. We need to protect marriages and families; it is our common duty to overcome our differences in concepts and habits and to pursue the joint goal of a better world, day by day.”
◘ We shared a toast for peace as part of our desire to bring about peace from the individual to the world.
Then we showed a video of the Little Angels of Korea. Three beautiful dances exhibit beauty, harmony, and brilliant choreography. The audience expressed great admiration. At the end we enjoyed apple cake.
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