Ignacio Socias during the previous Summit, in 2021.
The director of international relations of IFFD, Ignacio Socias, will join a panel discussion at the Fifth Budapest Demographic Summit upon an invitation from the Office of the Presidency of Hungary. It will be held next September with the theme ‘Family is the key to security’.
Our planet is facing serious demographic challenges. In one part of the world, we see the decline of birth rates, parenthood postponed, and infertility problems on the rise; while on the other, we have explosive, continuous population growth, disproportionate to the growth of infrastructure as well as social, education, and healthcare systems.
The situation is exacerbated by the multitude of threats that have emerged in recent years in the lives of nations and families. The migration crisis, followed by the coronavirus pandemic, and now the war in Ukraine, have triggered economic and energy crises – both of which are fundamental challenges to family security. Many underestimate and question the role that families have continued to play even in the face of such difficulties.
In this panel, demographers, together with the heads of Hungarian and foreign family organizations will share their thoughts on what the differences are between families now and 50 years ago; how can civil society help the next generation to build families in harmony with our present world; and why has family become as a controversial concept for ideologies and policies. To that end, Socias will convey some of the findings and recommendations of the United Nations Expert Group Meeting on Population Ageing and Family Well-Being in Europe co-organized by IFFD last May, in connection with the role of families in the United Nations ‘Our Common Agenda’, as preparation for The Summit of the Future to be held in 2024.
The Budapest Demographic Summit will therefore provide a unique opportunity for shared reflection and networking among political decision-makers, church leaders, the world of science, media, and civil society. It will be a major meeting point and a showcase for international pro-family forces, providing a unique opportunity for shared reflection on the role of families in reversing the negative demographic trend.
