March for Life and Family
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Marsz dla Życia i Rodziny (Pol. March for Life and Family) was a march organised in Warsaw, Poland by conservative-Catholic institutions combined with a pop music performance. According to the organisers the demonstration is intended to express their opinion on marriage as a heterosexual relationship and the support the pro-life view on abortion.
The march was arranged by Fundacja Pro (a Polish pro-life organisation) and Stowarzyszenie Kultury Chrześcijańskiej im. Ks. Piotra Skargi (Piotr Skarga Society of Christian Culture, a Catholic and conservative organisation).
May 4, 2006
The first march took place in 2006 in Warsaw. According to the Catholic Information Agency[1] it attracted over 2000 people, mainly young with their families, representants of conservative non-governmental organisations and right-wing politicians. Demonstrators held banners with slogans: "Love is hetero", "Right to birth for everyone", "Man and woman the true family", "Stop abortion", "Stop perversion" (with a picture of two men holding their hands), "I choose life". A pop concert, funded by the government, closed the march.
May 20, 2007
According to police statistics the second march in 2007 attracted about 600 people. However, organisors claimed that the number of people reached 4000. The march was attended by right-wing politicians such as Roman Giertych, Wojciech Wierzejski, Marian Piłka and Artur Zawisza, as well as various institutions, e.g. Fundacja Pełna Chata (Full Cottage Foundation), Grupa "Człowiek tak – homoseksualizm nie" ("Human yes – homosexuality no" Group), Bielańskie Stowarzyszenie Rodzin Wielodzietnych (Bielany Association of Families with a lot of Children).[2] The march was also attended by pro-life activists from Germany, Italy, France, Chile, Peru and United States.[3]
Demonstrators held banners with slogans "Marriage only between man and woman", "Perversion stop" as well as Polish national flags and crosses.
May 25, 2008
The third march took place in May 2008. Prior to the march there were several films presented on abortion, miraculous revelation of Madonna and culture of death regarding current situation in Sweden, where same-sex marriage is to be recognised. There was also a lecture at the Catholic Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński University in Warsaw on abortion and methods of contraception approved by the Vatican. According to the police statistics there were less than 1000 demonstrators, but organisators claim that there were about 4000.[4][5]
See also
- March for Life (Paris, France)
- March for Life (Washington, D.C., U.S.A.)
- Walk for Life West Coast (San Francisco, Calif., U.S.A.)