World Congress of Families Event Shows African Support for Family Values
"I was impressed by the diversity of participants—which included elected officials, academics, medical doctors and religious leaders—who are united in support of the natural family."
The World Congress of Families "Dialogue of Civilizations"—held in Abuja, Nigeria, June 4-7—was an unqualified success with more than 300 in attendance from Nigeria, Uganda, Cameroon, Ghana, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The conference was organized by the Foundation for African Cultural Heritage.
Speakers at the first WCF event in Africa decried attempts of international agencies and Western aid- givers to force abortion, contraception, smaller families and homosexual "rights" on Africa.
Speakers included Nigerian Senator Osita Izunaso; Theresa Okafor, Foundation for African Cultural Heritage; the Most Reverend Valerian Okeke, Archbishop of Onitsha Archdiocese; Mr. Nana Yaw Osei-Darkwa, Focus on the Family International, Ghana; Prof. Mark Nwagwu, a cell-biologist at the University of Ibadan, Nigeria; Professor D.O.S. Noibi, Executive Secretary of the Muslim Ummah of South Western Nigeria; Henk Jochemsen of the Dutch development group PRISMA; and Chief Albert Ngwana, National Chairman, Cardinal Democratic Party of Cameroon. There was also a good will message delivered by a representative of the First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
The World Congress of Families was represented by its communications director, Don Feder, who also spoke on "Demographic Winter."
Topics included: Pornography and the Family, Sexual and Reproductive Health, A Review of the Plan of Action on the Family in Africa, A Christian View on Sexuality and Family, Population Decline of the Developed World—A Lesson for Africa, A Plan to Defend the Family at the United Nations, The Role of Scholars in Influencing Policies Affecting the Family, and The Family Unit and Global Peace.
Feder noted: "Theresa Okafor, Sen. Izunaso and others of the Foundation for African Cultural Heritage did an exceptional job of putting this conference together. I was impressed by the diversity of participants—which included elected officials, academics, medical doctors and religious leaders—who are united in support of the natural family."
Feder also commented: "Several speakers referred to efforts to legalize abortion and homosexuality, and promote condom distribution as attempts to impose 'Western values' on Africa. I reminded them that these are the values of Western elites, and that authentic Western values—based on Judeo-Christian morality—are the very opposite of those promoted by the UN, European Union, etc."
Along with the "Riga (Latvia) Family Forum" on May 15, the Nigeria meeting was a preparatory conference for World Congress of Families V in Amsterdam, August 10-12. For more information or to register for WCF V in The Netherlands, go to www.worldcongress.org.
