Hi <<First Name(s)>>

The Family First team are getting ready to attend the World Congress of Families next week, being held in the U.S. for the first time.

The 9th World Congress of Families (WCF) in Salt Lake City is the premier global gathering of parents, youth, lawmakers, scholars, religious leaders, and advocates united to support the natural family.

More than 60 countries will be represented at this historic event. For the first time in its history, after stops in places like Geneva, Sydney and Warsaw, the World Congress is being hosted in the United States.

Representing New Zealand will be Bob McCoskrie and Bev Adair who are both speaking and chairing a number of sessions. Bob will also be part of the Ceremonial Transfer of the WCF Banner from 2013 Host, Australia/New Zealand, to 2015 Host, United States. (Unfortunately the Australian representative was unavailable as they are trying to help the Wallabies rugby team find the try-line ). Family First will also have a display in the Exhibit Hall showcasing its work and research. Denise Walters (and husband Lee) will be 'selling' NZ to the world!

The executive director of World Congress of Families IX, Janice Shaw Crouse, Ph.D., recently published an excellent Op-Ed about the highlights of the Congress. She says:

The World Congress of Families gathers to inspire us all to be better mothers, fathers, sons and daughters. We are truly an international, interdisciplinary and interfaith coalition. We set aside our cultural differences and our theological disputes to unite in support of the most basic of all human rights - the right to life - and the most basic of all human organizations - the natural family....

So what can one person do in the face of global events and inner turmoil? The inspiring Stephanie Nielson, who survived horrific burns from a plane crash, will share with attendees her insights into that question. So will Australian Nick Vujicic, who was born without limbs and yet travels the globe giving hope to millions... Tim Ballard of Operation Underground Railroad will share how it rescues and brings hope to sex-trafficked children, while Clay Olsen of Fight the New Drug will discuss how addicts and families can overcome pornography. New Zealand's Bev Adair-Beets (left) will share how she is using hip-hop to lift teens up out of their difficult circumstances."    

Highlights of the Congress will include:
* a dynamic, interactive discussion among international millennials about their views on life, marriage and family issues (chaired by Bob - who's a baby-boomer!).
* plenary panel of reporters, editors and international media experts talking about the media and faith.
* plenary panel of the top academic research scholars who are doing the cutting-edge research on the importance of the family
* Break-out sessions on a wide variety of issues related to life, marriage and family - including sex trafficking, abortion and adoption, pornography, sexual exploitation, ethics and morality, economic costs of family breakdown, Hollywood values vs. family values, euthanasia, bioethics, and numerous others.

We'll let you know how the World Congress went. It's a privilege for Family First NZ to be a partner and a key player in this important World Congress (although we suspect that Bob is only attending so that he can find great speakers to bring over to New Zealand for future Forums!)

Have a great long weekend!

The Family First team