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UN International Day of Families 2009
Day of Families Celebrated in The Hague
Written by Christopher Davies, UPF-Netherlands
Friday, May 15, 2009
Den Haag, The Netherlands – The International Day of Families was celebrated in the Christus Triumfatorkerk in Den Haag on May 15. After a video on the Millennium Development Goals and the Role of Women, Mevrouw Safina Verhagen-Khan, a social worker and chair of the Nunspeet regional branch of the Women's Ahmadiyya Muslim Djamaat, spoke on "Mothers and Families: Challenges in a Changing World." Other speakers on the topic included Mrs. Margriet Noot-Heijdemann, a family counselor for the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints, and Mrs. Georgine Bendt-Wijsman, a pastoral and social worker with the Moravian Church in Den Haag.
Dr. Willem A. Koetsier, Secretary General of UPF-Netherlands, read the International Day of Families message from the UN Secretary-General, the UPF Declaration on Families, and a message of support from the Western Europe UN office in Brussels. Hans Campman, president of the Dutch chapter of the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification, spoke on "The important role of motherhood in fulfilling mankind's three purposes of life."
Ambassador for Peace Certificates were presented by Drs. Koetsier.
Eleanor Klerkx Flowers sang a song of peace, entitled "Bless This House." The YSI band, directed by Jonathan van der Stok, performed performed "Meet Me by Tomorrow." The band members are part of the Youth Service Initiative, an international "gap year" course in service, based in Utrecht, the Netherlands.
After a break the band played “Audiocation” and “Dream of Gold,” and they closed the program with “Yellow” (by Coldplay) and “(Change) Direction.” By the last song, they audience joined the band by clapping and dancing. "The atmosphere was warm and family-like," one band member said. "What a wonderful way to celebrate the Day of Families!"
To read UPF's Declaration on Families, click here.
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