Brussels, 31st October 2024

The Federation of Catholic Family Associations in Europe (FAFCE) and The Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union (COMECE)

would like to invite you to the conference on

 INTEGRAL HUMAN ECOLOGY  

Intergenerational solidarity 

Tuesday 5 November 2024, 15.00-17.00 

Venue: European Parliament, SPAAK 5B1 

  • Opening Statement 

Lukas Mandl, Member of the European Parliament (EPP, Austria) 

  • Introduction (5 min) 

Vincenzo Bassi, President of FAFCE: Introductory remarks  

  • Panel (60 min) 

Moderator: Vincenzo Bassi  

Speakers:  

  • Flaminia Vola, Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development (Holy See) 
  • Monica Pisani, Policy Officer at DG CLIMA (European Commission) 
  • Attila Beneda, Deputy State Secretary for Family Affairs, Ministry of  Culture and Innovation of Hungary (Online)  
  • Béla Kuslits, Senior Ecology Officer at JESC (Jesuit European Social Centre) 
  • Johannes Moravitz, Policy Adviser on Ecology, Energy & Agriculture at  COMECE (Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union) 
  • Regina Maroncelli, President of ELFAC (European Large Families  Confederation) (Online) 

Q&A session (30 min) 

Conclusions (10 min)

Why we must focus on Integral Human Ecology and Intergenerational Solidarity 

“Births are not a problem, but a resource: they are not opposed to life, but for life, whereas certain ideological and utilitarian models now being imposed with a velvet glove on families and peoples constitute real forms of colonization.” (Pope Francis, Address to COP28).

Reflecting on the words by Pope Francis and following FAFCE 2024 Spring Board Meeting’s Resolution entitled Integral ecology needs at its core the recognition of the family, which by recalling Dignitas Infinita and Laudato Si’, underlines that the “human dignity of every human person prevails over and beyond any circumstance and context”, FAFCE and COMECE would like to invite you to participate in the conference on the Integral Human Ecology and the Intergenerational Solidarity organised for the 5th of November 2024 at 15:00 at the European Parliament in Brussels.

There is no denying that the future can only exist with future generations, and that at the same time, the responsibility to solve the climate crisis must not be charged upon the most vulnerable and blames must not be put upon families with many children. In order to combat the consequences of climate changes and environmental degradation, it is a duty to promote a culture of family and local networks, fighting loneliness, poverty, reducing addictive consumption and allowing the family to express its role as the core of civil society.

The conference will take place in the framework of the FAFCE Autumn Board Meeting in Brussels, Belgium, between the 5th and 7th of November 2024. FAFCE Board gathers twice a year for a 3-days meeting and is a key moment of dialogue between Catholic Family Associations in Europe, during which the main guidelines of their action at the European level are decided.

Attendance is limited to individuals with a European Parliament badge and spaces are limited.