Oslo, Norway—The UN International Day of Families was celebrated under the title “The Family as the Fundamental Unit of Society—What Does It Entail?”
About 30 people attended the event, which was held at Diakonhjemmet University College on May 22, 2019.
The first speaker, representing the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, spoke about the sacredness of the family and its importance for all its members.
The second speaker, a researcher from the Norwegian Police University College, had much to say about risk factors that can cause young people to go astray. Even though many factors have been eliminated on a societal level, she said that on a micro level, as in the family, there are still factors that could be improved.
The third speaker was the former leader of the Nordic Network for Marriage, a group that was active before Norway’s new marriage laws were passed in our parliament. He gave an update on some of the consequences of the new laws.
The fourth speaker was the Norwegian UPF leader, who spoke about the importance of celebrating such a day, as it is a day that concerns everyone. Every person has family relations to maintain. This common concern goes beyond nationality or religion and has the potential to bring together people from all backgrounds.
The speeches were followed by a panel talk and questions from the audience.
Finally the speakers were awarded with the UPF Ambassador for Peace certificate.
The evening ended with refreshments and informal conversations.