Demography and the Culture of Relationship between Couples Conference

International Conference, 27-29 May 2021, Hungary, Budapest

Contents

Organized by

Family Science Association logo
Family Science Alliance
Family Science Association logo
Batthyány Society of Professors
Family Science Association logo
European Family Science Society

Message of the conference

Motto: “The demographic crisis can only be solved by overcoming the crisis in family life”

A system of values for couple relationships, marriage and family life needs to be articulated, which protects the people from harm and improves physical and mental health and the harmonious development of individuals and their communities. For such a system of values to emerge it first needs a clear articulation. In recent decades true and false values have become completely mixed up. The individual can hardly distinguish the useful from the harmful in all the choices now available.

For decades the traditional family model has been under intense attack in the consumer society. We can say that there is a cultural war against the institutions of marriage and the family. The three main front lines of this attack have been the spread of free love, homosexual marriage, and the gender or queer theory. Additional new front lines are being formed, all of them targeting sexuality. Those political and economic powers intent on the disintegration of the family recognized that the family can best be torn apart by influencing people’s sexual behaviour. As a result of the success of their approach, free love partnerships are commonplace and usual and the institution of marriage and family has weakened.

If we do not figure out how to outmaneuver these attacks and do not supplant them, we will have little chance to resolve the demographic crisis, to reduce the disintegration of families, and to fight off harmful selfishness and mental illness in a humane and effective way.

The demographic crisis is a symptom of the crisis in the relations between the sexes in family life, so, in order to ease the demographic crisis, we must understand and resolve this crisis, or else the very existence of society is in danger.

It is worrying that countries affected by the demographic crises are not trying to curb free sexuality. Without finding ways to leave this behind and restore mutual loyalty and fidelity there is no solution to the demographic crisis. Couples firm in their commitment, in marriage, have the home that welcomes children. Without it they cannot plan. Free sex fundamentally violates human dignity, especially that of women, objectifies women, increases the likelihood of mental and many other illnesses such as depression, narcissism, sexually transmitted illnesses, main reason of abortion and loneliness, impairs the healthy development of children and decreases fertility. In addition, it makes the individual – especially the man -, selfish, reduces the chance of marriage, postpone marriage, destroys the quality, harmony and stability of marriage and family. It also poses a particular risk to the health and well-being of the conceived child.

Nowadays though sexuality without commitment has become widely accepted, the majority of people are not aware of the later consequences of different types of couple relationships and lifestyles. Thus, the level of uncivilized behaviour and selfishness in the couple relationship, as well as the suppression of morality in this area has alarming effects on children, women and communities. Politicians, social scientists and church leaders have the duty to present this case for the public good. They cannot allow the future of our nation and people’s physical and mental health and their vital human relationships to be destroyed by ignorance.

In addition, in Hungary we are blessed, both by the Fundamental Law and by its corresponding Family Protection Act which, in some extent, protect marriage and the institution of the family. We have yet to figure out how to attract young people to enter and expand the community of faithful families these laws envision.

A three-dimensional family policy is therefore needed:

1. Challenging the obstacles to the development and continuance of good marriages and families, proving the harmful effects of these obstacles to the individual and it’s communities and proofing by promulgating the massive advantage of the chastity based married family for adults and children in every major dimension of life. These are best achieved through research, school education and the media.

2. Build society through a partnership with the social sciences to strengthen culture, according to the Fundamental Law and the Family Protection Act; developing the basic set of “values of belonging” between men and women. This topic needs extensive exploration and research coupled with effective education and dissemination.

3. Provision of financial support and material benefits to young spouses and parents.

The Fundamental Law of Hungary protects not only marriage and family but Christian culture as well. Those who sought the disintegration of the family decades ago and continue to seek today realized that there is no need to attack the Churches; it is enough to spread sex without commitment. With this religious worship wanes. Christian culture and sex without commitment are totally incompatible.

Last but not least: in human history advanced cultures have emerged in those societies where pre-marital sexual abstinence was expected from men as well as from women. This abstinence protected women, children, family and, ultimately, society as a whole. It is not an exaggeration to say that it was not civilization that created marriage, but marriage created civilization. When sexual norms were loosened for whatever reason, societies fell apart within three generations. We do not want this to happen to our countries.

The conference also aims to advance a culture of sound relationships between couples through the presentation of some of the best practices available in the United States, Poland, Hungary and Croatia.

Finally, one of the lectures from Poland will present an international convention on the rights of the family.

Conference invitation and program

Solution Search to the Crisis of Family life and Demography

Demographic decline is one of the symptoms of the crisis of family life, therefore, in order to stop the population decline, it is essential to strengthen the traditional family model, to formulate, protect and widely disseminate its basic values on a scientific and cultural basis. Due to the lack of this, the general crisis of couple relationship further weakens the whole society, endangering our existence. It is important and urgent to promote values supporting the formation and survival of stable families, and exploring the adverse tendencies.

 

Conference Program on Day One
27 May, 2021 (Thursday)

 

Times correspond to Central European Summer Time

Registration

08:30 – 09:00

 

Opening

09:00 – 09:05   Péter Sótonyi (Hungary): Rector of University of Veterinary Medicine Budapest, Chairman of Batthyány Society of Professors

09:05 – 09:15   Margit Tiborné Csabai (Hungary): President of the Family Science Alliance

 

Opening Lecture

09:15 – 09:35   Katalin Novák (Hungary): The present and planned future of the Hungarian family policy. Minister without portfolio for Family Affairs

 

Reflections of Church Leaders on Couple Relationship Culture and Demography

Chair: Gábor Náray-Szabó (Hungary)

09:35 –  9:45    Zoltán Balog (Hungary): Order of creation and couple relationship culture. Reformed Bishop, Pastoral President of the Synod of the Hungarian Reformed Church

09:45 – 10:05   Zsolt Marton (Hungary): The role of the father in the family – Meditation based on Pope Francis’ apostolic encouragement ‘Patris corde’. Hungarian Catholic Church, Bishop of Diocese Vác, Chairman of the Family Affairs Committee of the Hungarian Catholic Episcopal Conference

10:05 – 10:25   József Steinbach (Hungary): The culture of couple relationship and the Christian value system – the biblical teaching on marriage in a nutshell. Bishop of the Transdanubian District of the Hungarian Reformed Church

10:25 – 10:45   Péter Gáncs (Hungary): Being a disciple in the school of mutual trust. Bishop of the Hungarian Lutheran Church

10:45 – 11:05   Slómo Köves (Hungary): Child for the marriage or marriage for the child. Executive Rabbi of EMIH Unified Hungarian Jewish Congregation

 

Coffee break I

11:05 – 11:20

 

Comments and round table discussion with the speakers

11:20 – 12:30   Invited speaker: Attila Beneda (Hungary), Deputy Secretary of State for Family Policy

Moderators: Margit Tiborné Csabai, President of the Family Science Alliance; and Imre Balásházy (Hungary), Vice-president of the Family Science Alliance

 

Lunch break

12:30 – 13:30

 

Hungarian Specialist Lectures I

Chair: Péter Farkas (Hungary)

13:30 – 13:45   Orsolya Szeiler (Hungary): The role of Victim Support Centres in the event of couple relationship violence. Deputy State Secretary, Public Services, Ministry of Justice

13:45 – 14:05   Balázs Molnár (Hungary): Impacts and Results of the Hungarian Family Policy. Vice-president of the Mária Kopp Institute for Demography and Families (KINCS)

14:05 – 14:25   Rita Uzsalyné Pécsi (Hungary): The four dimensions of live-giving and life-receptive couple relationship and sexuality. Educational researcher, Associate Professor of the Apor Vilmos Catholic College, head of the Christian Education Research Group

14:25 – 14:45   Péter Nagy (Hungary): The necessity to introduce uniform family life education. Diocese of Pécs, Coordinator of Family Education and Life Strategy Program, Public Education Associate, Vice-President of the Family Science Alliance

14:45 – 15:05   Tamás Krúdy (Hungary): Sex, culture and demography. Editor, journalist.

 

Coffee Break 2

15:05 – 15.15

 

Hungarian Specialist Lectures II

Chair: Andrea Mindszenty (Hungary)

15:15 – 15:35   Tímea Surányi-Vadas (Hungary): The pill, in vitro fertilization and family life education. Vice-president of the Family Science Alliance, president of ‘You have a Future’ Movement

15:35 – 15:55   Péter Farkas (Hungary): Love – Family. (The Christian family concept and globalization.) Sociologist, former research head at the Mária Kopp Institute for Population and Families (KINCS)

15:55 – 16:15   Júlia Borbála Horváth (Hungary): Uncultured dating culture. Cultural anthropologist

16:15 – 16:35   Imre Balásházy (Hungary): Three-dimensional family policy and a strategic plan for strengthening families. Vice-President of the Family Science Alliance, Secretary of the European Family Science Society

 

Book Launch

Chair: Tímea Surányi-Vadas (Hungary)

16:35 – 17:05   János Székely theologian, Roman Catholic Bishop (Hungary) presents Volume II of the Book “For Happier Families and Youth”, with subheading „Recommendations for Resolving the Crisis of Family Life and the Demographic Crisis”, which is a study volume written and edited by the expert community of the Family Science Alliance. (L’Harmattan Publishing House).

 

Foreign Specialist Lecture

Chair: Tamás Krúdy (Hungary)

17:05 – 17:25   Pat Fagan (U.S.A.): Depopulation: root causes and remedies. Director of the Marriage and Religion Research Institute, Washington D.C.

 

Questions to the speakers of the afternoon sessions

17:25 – 17:55:  Moderators: Margit Tiborné Csabai and Zsuzsanna Gerberné Farkas (Hungary)

 

Closing remarks

17:55 – 18:00   Péter Nagy (Hungary): Diocese of Pécs, Coordinator of the Family Life Education and Life Strategy Program, Public Education Associate, Vice-President of the Family Science Alliance

 

 

Conference Program on Day Two
28 May, 2021 (Friday)

 

Times correspond to Central European Summer Time

Opening Lecture

09:00 – 09:05   Margit Tiborné Csabai (Hungary), President of the Family Science Alliance

 

Hungarian Specialist Lectures

09:05 – 09:25   Edit Frivaldszky (Hungary): Where do we get with the Comprehensive Sexuality Education? Director of the Human Dignity Center

09:25 – 09:45   Eszter Schittl (Hungary): Protection of children from gender ideology. CitizenGO Representative in Hungary

09:45 – 10:05   Gábor Németh (Hungary): Pro-choice and the demographic crisis. Assistant professor, Office Director of the Secretariat of the Hungarian Catholic Episcopal Conference

10:05 – 10:25   László Pribék (Hungary): God – man – sexuality. Marriage and family specialist, BRIEF coach

 

Coffee Break I

10:25 – 10.45

 

Foreign Specialist Lectures I

10:45 – 11:05   Gabriele Kuby (Germany): The attack of modern gnosticism on the dignity of the person. Sociologist, Author of The Global Sexual Revolution – Destruction of Freedom in the Name of Freedom

11:05 – 11:25   Tymoteusz Zych (Poland): International Convention on the Rights of the Family. Vice-president of the Board, Ordo Iuris Institute for Legal Culture, Warsaw

11:25 – 11:45   Anna Kubacka (Poland): Care for children up to three years of age: is a family-friendly system possible? Analyst at the Center of the International Law of the Ordo Iuris Institute for Legal Culture, Warsaw

11:45 – 12:05   Filip Furman (Poland): Mutual relationships between culture, economic system, and demography. Description of historical processes and perspectives for the future. Director of the Social Sciences and Bioethics Center, Warsaw

 

Questions to speakers of the morning sessions

12:05 – 12:40   Moderators: Tímea Surányi-Vadas and László Hamar (Hungary)

 

Lunch Break

12:40 – 13:40

 

Foreign Specialist Lectures II

13:40 – 14:00   Mihaela Djorgova (Bulgaria): Why marriage is so important and what can we do to strengthen and protect it? Co-founder and chairman of the Society and Values Association, actively protecting human dignity and freedom, marriage and family since 2007 in Bulgaria

14:00 – 14:20   Latchezar Popov (Bulgaria): European legislation and practices related to marriage and family. Chairman of the Board of Advocates Europe and Rule of Law Institute Bulgaria

14:20 – 14:40   Pat Fagan (U.S.A.): The married father: the new patriarch serving his wife and children. Director of the Marriage and Religion Research Institute, Washington D.C.

15:00 – 15:20   Brian S. Brown (U.S.A.): The power of family policy: Hungarian lessons for the West. President of the World Congress of Families (WCF), President of the International Organization for the Family (IOF), Founder and Publisher of the International Family News Magazine

 

Coffee Break II

15:20 – 15:40

 

Foreign Specialist Lectures III

15:40 – 16:00   Sharon Slater (U.S.A.): The impacts of sex education on children and the family: controversies, harms and solutions. President of Family Watch International

16:00 – 16:10   Sharon Slater and Family Watch International (U.S.A.): Understanding Transgender Issues. Family Watch International

16:10 – 16:20   Sharon Slater and Jessica Slater Taylor (U.S.A.): Presentation of The Global Empowered Youth Coalition. Sharon Slater: President of Family Watch International; and Jessica Slater Taylor: Co-founder of the Empowered Youth Coalition

16:20 – 16:40   Wendy Wixom (U.S.A.): The “why” of demographic decline: cost and culture. President of United Families International

16:40 – 17:00   Nicholeen Peck (U.S.A.): International Database Scandal Exposed. President of The Worldwide Organization For Women, CEO/Founder/author of Teaching Self-Government LLC parenting and relationship trainings and books

17:00 – 17:20   Emerson Eggerichs (U.S.A.): Breaking the negative cycle in marriage. President of the Love and Respect Ministry. Author of the book Love and Respect.

 

Comments and questions to the speakers of the afternoon sessions

17:20 – 18:20   Moderators: Tamás Krúdy and Imre Balásházy (Hungary)

 

Closing remarks

18:20 – 18:25   Margit Tiborné Csabai and Imre Balásházy (Hungary), Family Science Alliance

 

Conference Program on Day Three
29 May, 2021 (Saturday)

 

Times correspond to Central European Summer Time

 Opening Lecture

09:00 – 09:05   Margit Tiborné Csabai (Hungary), President of the Family Science Alliance

 

Hungarian Specialist Lectures I

09:05 – 09:25   Gábor and Etelka Muzslai (Hungary): Recommended solutions to strengthen families. Leaders of 2=1 Family Assistance and Marriage Mission Hungary Foundation

09:25 – 09:45   Etelka and Attila Szőke (Hungary): Created for binding. Etelka Szőke: Reformed pastor, family and couple therapist, Associate of the Gyökössy Pastoral Care and Supervision Service; Attila Szőke: Reformed pastor, family specialist caregiver

08:45 – 10:05   Ferenc Tomka (Hungary): The way to strengthen marriage – curbing anti-marital forces. Theologian, professor emeritus

10:05 – 10:25   Dániel Fülep (Hungary): Attacks on the institution of marriage and the family. Educator, biologist, theologian

10:25 – 10:45   Anna Ujlaki-Győri (Hungary): PorNo! Dentist, mental hygiene specialist, lecturer at the ReMa Foundation

 

Coffee Break I

10:45 – 11:00

 

Hungarian Specialist Lectures II

11:00 – 11:20   Imre Bedő (Hungary): The absolute monogamy as the pillar of the society. The founder of Man for all organizations

11:20 – 11:40   Katalin Botos (Hungary): Couple relationship problems in postmodern times, philosophy and practice. Member of the Batthyány Society for Professors, former minister

11:40 – 12:00   Anna Ujlaki-Győri (Hungary): In the footsteps of gender ideology. Dentist, mental hygiene specialist, lecturer at the ReMa Foundation

12:00 – 12:10   Eszter Párkányi (Hungary): The family as a barrier to the triumph of cultural Marxism. Lawyer, analyst at the Center for Fundamental Rights

12:10 – 12:30   Imre Téglásy (Hungary): To the psychology of gender “science” (Narcissus, the infectious flower of evil). President of the Alfa Alliance, Human Life International – Hungary

 

Comments and questions to the presenters of the morning sessions

12:30 – 13:10  Moderators: László Pribék and Péter Nagy (Hungary)

 

Lunch

13:10 – 13:40

 

Professional lectures from the Carpathian Basin

13:40 – 14:00   Csaba Pásztor (Highlands): Transient and enduring values. President of the Association of Large Families of Mátyusföld, founding member of the Association of Family Organizations of the Carpathian Basin

14:00 – 14:20   Orsolya Gergely and Beáta Tiboldi (Transylvania): Parenthood in Szeklerland in the light of facts and trends. What can local (Transylvanian) civil and family support organizations do to preserve traditional values? Orsolya Gergely: sociologist, university lecturer at Sapientia Hungarian University of Transylvania, Department of Social Sciences, Miercurea Ciuc; and Beáta Tiboldi: President of the Association of Mothers of Csík, Transylvanian Regional Manager of the Association of Family Organizations of the Carpathian Basin

14:20 – 14:40   Márta Palojtay (Transcarpathia): Why didn’t anyone tell this? – The impact of the abortion experienced on the woman and on the family. Mental hygiene pastor, head of the Family and Life Association

 

Coffer Break II

14:40 – 14:50

 

Best Practises

14:50 – 15:10   Péter Roska (Hungary): The theology of the body – being human is a divine thing. Catholic theologian

15:10 – 15:30   Ágnes Hortobágyiné dr. Nagy and Dr. Csilla Rézné Vitus (Hungary): Possibilities for the introduction of: “For Happier Families” ® Family Life Education (CSÉN) program at schools. Ágnes Hortobágyi dr. Nagy: medical doctor, founder and professional manager of this program; and Dr. Csilla Rézné Vitus: program manager of this program, mentor CSÉN consultant, mental health professional, Founder and managing director of Our Life is the Family! Nonprofit Public Benefit Ltd.

15:30 – 15:50   Péter Nagy (Hungary): Family Life Education and related programs. Diocese of Pécs, Coordinator of the Family Life Education and Life Strategy Program, Public Education Associate, Vice-President of the Family Science Alliance

15:50 – 16:10   Zsuzsanna Gerberné Farkas (Hungary): Responsible young people – strong families. Chairman of the board of trustees of the Foundation for the Excellence in Educational Culture

16:10 – 16:20   Tímea Surányi-Vadas (Hungary): Preparing the youth for the vocation of marriage – presenting ‘9 Months in 9 Lesons Program’. Vice-President of the Family Science Alliance, President of ‘You have a Future’ Movement

16:20 – 16:40   Krisztina Lukács (Hungary): Presenting the Hungarian Billings Center. Head of the Hungarian Billings Center

16:40 – 17:00   Cecília Sótonyiné Prevoz és Zsuzsanna Király (Hungary): How does Teenstar help young people to develop and find their way? Cecília Sótonyiné Prevoz: president of the TeenStar Hungary Association; and Zsuzsanna Király: member of the Board in the Association

 

Comments and questions to the speakers of the afternoon sessions

17:00 – 17:30   Invited speaker: Zsuzsanna Márton (Transylvania), president of the Alliance of Family Organizations in the Carpathian Basin.

Moderators: Valéria Megyeri and Edit Frivaldszky (Hungary)

 

Presentation of an emerging major international project

Chairs: Imre Balásházy and Tamás Krúdy (Hungary)

17:30 – 17:50   Pat Fagan (U.S.A.): Synthesis Research Project on Human Flourishing. Director of the Marriage and Religion Research Institute, Washington D.C.

17:50 – 18:20   Discussion about the project plans

 

Final conclusions and discussions on the three-day-long conference

18:20 – 18:30   Margit Tiborné Csabai and Imre Balásházy (Hungary), Family Science Alliance

 

 

Hungarian-English simultaneous interpretation will be provided on Day One, furthermore during the round table talks on Day Two and Day Three.

All lectures will be available online in Hungarian and English.