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A. Hegazy: Statement on the International Day of Families
Written by H.E. Dr. Abdelaziz Hegazy, former Prime Minister of Egypt
Monday, May 18, 2009
On the occasion of the International Day of Families, celebrated by the UN, I would like to send a message of love and peace to all who are participating in this day of celebration, valuing the role of the family composed of man, woman and children.
We applaud the efforts being made to achieve the Millennium Development Goals and the growing movement, led by the UN and NGOs alike, to empower women, the center of the family, and to empower the youth, the hope of the future. At the same time, we notice not only the positive but also the negative effects of the communications revolution and its adverse impact on youth and families. This effect can lead to moral relativism and corruption of our youth.
For this reason we ask civil society organizations, such as the UPF and other NGOs, to call for the establishment of a code of ethics and standards of good conduct for every family to follow, no matter where they are. The code will form the basis for a social and sacred covenant that highlights the rights and duties for the family and the individual.
We call on the media to play a positive role in promoting a culture of peace, and we call businessmen and all those who enjoy prosperity to lend a hand to help the needy people, as part of their moral duty and not only an act of charity. Such duties derive from God as taught by all religions.
If we all observe these duties, poverty can be reduced, if not eliminated. On behalf of more than 25,000 Egyptian NGOs and more than 100 civil society institutions, I hereby send to you our respect and sincere appreciation. I call for a movement of NGOs to engage in development and benevolent projects worldwide aimed at creating conditions of prosperity for all people.
We look forward to the day when we have a society in which all people feel value in their work and labor, and in which all citizens have their basic needs for clothing, food, housing, education, health, etc., met. In this way, agony and resentment can be dissolved and people can live according to the UN declaration that calls for human security and the eradication of hunger.
In this way, violence and war will diminish and social peace can be realized for all people. As we build good marriages and strong families, we can transform this world, as families become the agents of development and social transformation for peace in this world.