Moscow, Russia—UPF, working together with two affiliated organizations, held an international conference in honor of the UN International Day of Families.
Seventeen participants gathered in the UPF Peace Embassy, with another 30 participants joining the meeting online.
In addition, the event on May 14, 2021, had approximately 1,000 views on social media. Among the participants were guests from India and France.
The conference titled "Family Values and Global Challenges of Modern Society" was organized by the Russian chapters of UPF and its affiliated organizations Family Federation for World Peace and Unification (FFWPU) and Women’s Federation for World Peace (WFWP).
One of the issues discussed was how new technologies affect family and demographic issues, damaging the spiritual and moral foundations of the younger generation.
In the framework of the conference, deteriorating statistical indicators were announced, according to which the total fertility rate in Russia dropped to 1.51. Many speakers noted that material incentives alone cannot solve the problem of demography and that spiritual and moral tools, various educational programs and the involvement of public organizations that popularize traditional family values are needed.
Thanks to video conference calls, participants from different cities of Russia as well as other countries were able to connect with speeches and questions.
At the end of the conference, the participants adopted a draft resolution with proposals to the parliamentary factions to take into account the conference’s recommendations.
The conclusion of the program was the ceremony of awarding the Ambassador for Peace certificate to prominent public figures.
We express our gratitude to all partners and speakers of the conference:
Maria Nazarova, president of UPF-Russia
Oksana Merzlyakova, officer mentor of a Cossack public organization in the village of Troitsky Sungur
Valentina Vladislavleva, producer, director, member of the board of the Central House of Arts, Moscow
Yulia Arapova, winner of the first Moscow international competition festival "World of the Family"
Natalya Shadurko, publicist, teacher, author of the book Happiness as a Diagnosis; founder of the School of Kindness and Success; partner of the Oksana Fedorova Charitable Foundation
Nailya Ziganshina, the chair of the Union of Muslim Women of Russia
Evgeny Mikhalchenko, first deputy secretary general of the Alliance of the Peoples of the World; president of the Universe of Kindness Foundation
Dr. Sergey Dvoryanov, president of the Amicability international diplomatic club
Angelina Poteryayko, expert on science and ideology of the all-Russian movement Moscow Parents; deputy director of the Scientific School of Strategic Planning; scientific secretary of the section "Artificial Intelligence in Economics of the Scientific Council under the Presidium of the Russian Academy of Sciences on the Methodology of Artificial Intelligence and Cognitive Research."
Dr. Valery Emelyanov, executive director of the NGO Vremya & Mir (“Time and Peace”)