Festival roots for strong families, marriages

Festival roots for strong families, and marriages (Photo: iStock) Families play an important role in achieving Sustainable Development Goals. This is according to the United Nations. The repositioning of the family at the forefront of cultural, religious and political policies was hailed as the centrepiece of Africa's renaissance at the inaugural Family Festival. Speaking at the first Family Festival in Uganda to mark the Year of the Family, Dr Hyun Jin Preston Moon, Chairman of the Global Peace Foundation, said that the festival was a celebration of the vision of one family under God. "If every family can have that vision, there will be tremendous transformation in the nation, because family is the building block of every nation," Dr Moon said. The Global Peace Foundation is an organisation that promotes an innovative, values-based approach to peacebuilding, guided by the vision of one family under God. The organisation is rooted in the belief that a strong family foundation is essential for social, religious and political development. The Inter-Religious Council of Uganda said combating environmental degradation, empowering the youth and fostering development and dialogue to strengthen the family are some of the initiatives that will be used to mark 2024 as the year of the family in Uganda. In 2010, former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said achieving the goals of the SDGs depends primarily on how families are empowered to fulfil their many roles. "The very achievement of development goals depends on how well families are empowered to contribute to the achievement of those goals. Thus, policies focusing on improving the well-being of families are certain to benefit development," Former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said. A 2019 UN report on the role of families in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), said the adoption of family-oriented policies is a cross-cutting activity that can significantly accelerate progress towards achieving most of the SDGs. This is by ending poverty and hunger, and malnutrition, ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being at all ages, achieving gender equality, ensuring education opportunities throughout life, and ensuring access to adequate and affordable housing and access to basic services. The international human rights instruments recognise the family as a fundamental institution in society and as such plays a critical role in achieving sustainable social, economic and cultural development. In addition, the United Nations states that family policies are a mainstay of national public policies and the most meaningful vehicle for governments to influence the living standards of future generations. The inaugural Family Festival, under the patronage of Uganda's President Yoweri Museveni and the leadership of Dr Hyun Jin Preston Moon - GPF Chairman, highlighted the role of youth in family stability and sustenance. The family was said to be the natural and fundamental unit of society and entitled to the fullest protection and support from society and the state. "We further emphasize that the family has the primary responsibility for the nurturing and protection of the child. Children should grow in a family that promotes happiness, love and understanding," the council said. For all their benefits, globalisation and digitalisation also pose challenges, such as threatening the position of elders as custodians of knowledge and information. stakeholders at all levels were called upon to develop and facilitate programmes and stimulate and encourage dialogue to develop measures to preserve and defend the institution of marriage. The council has further asked that effective policies and practices be established to condemn and remedy abusive relationships within marriage and the family. In commemorating the importance of the family, Apostle Dr. Joseph Serwadda, Member of the Inter-Religious Council of Uganda said a society with stronger families is better equipped to protect the environment. "Sustainable environment practices can be taught within the family, passed through generations by instilling respect for nature," said Serwadda. "We should evaluate and reassess the extent to which international laws and policies conform to the principles and provisions related to the family," he said. Speaking at the historic event held at Kololo Independence ground, in Uganda, the President of the Global Peace Foundation Uganda Chapter, Kambula Milton reiterated the role of the family in building a sustainable economy and nation. "For us to be able to achieve human rights, the economic prosperity and the vision that we have, the democracy that we want to achieve, good governance, the family must be stable first," Milton said. Rev Father Canice Chinyeaka Enyiaka, Regional Representative for Africa, Global Peace Foundation said that the family today is facing serious threats. He notes that the family must be respected, promoted and secured. "When a family is destroyed, no foundation can stand nor society exist without the family," Rev Enyiaka said. "Regrettably today, the cherished African family systems are increasingly being weakened, with new cultures spreading across the continent," said Uganda's First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports, Janet Museveni. The Family Festival culminated in the signing of a Vision Statement for an African Renaissance, inspired by the vision that all humanity, regardless of tribe, religion, nationality or political party, is one family under God. Another outcome of the Festival was the projected advancement of an African renaissance, deeply rooted in African traditions of family and spiritual values. "We will build an African society that is free of corruption, conflict, disease, poverty, and violence and ready to guide the world," the vision statement read in part. Museveni urged parents to expose their children to work, life and family activities. "When our children were growing up, I used to go with them alongside mama, to the cows. I would not leave them in the house, they would not graze the cow but they'll see," he said. Despite the significance of traditional values, Museveni said the traditional ways of life had weaknesses, "which we should get rid of; the mistreatment of women and family rivalries".

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