“We will not change the planet by complaining or moralizing – the most effective example is simply a good example. Therefore, at our marches we effort to show circumstantial families and people who bear witness to the value of matrimony and parenthood with their lives," says Halszka Bielecka, organizer of the March for Life in Wrocław.
What are you like as organizers of reflections after this year's March for Life and household in Wrocław? Which 1 is the march and is the interest of the returnees?
I have the pleasance of co-organising the March for Life and household in Wrocław for the 4th time. Although akin events have taken place in the past of the city, after a fewer years of break, the march was reactivated in 2022 and since then it has been gathering more and more participants. This year's edition was held under the motto of the Polish “The Future of Children in Our Hands”, referring to the work of adults for educating and forming a young generation, but it was besides a peculiar message to emphasize the value of the community.
In a planet where individualism dominates, people are reluctant to engage — both in community and in social life. Paradoxically, although many of us experience loneliness, we lock ourselves into homes alternatively of gathering others who think the same way, have the same goals, akin values. And this is not just about the aged – this problem is increasingly affecting young people or middle-aged people. March for Life and household is the answer to this phenomenon. It is not only a manifestation of attachment to values specified as protecting life from conception to natural death, but besides an chance to feel that we are not alone – that we make a community that gives strength and hope.
I am glad that, despite differences in age, competition or life experience, we can meet together to stand up for what is crucial to us. specified a community gives strength that can overcome a seemingly much stronger opponent. And they're not just beautiful words. Just callback the events of this year. Many people who participated in the Wroclaw march remember from winter protests against kid depravity in schools. Since then, it has not even been a year, and it has not only been possible to force the ruling optional nature of the subject to include elements of sexeducation, but also, as the latest data shows, to lead to the fact that most parents discharged their kid from these classes. This is the success of the people who have mobilized to stand together to defend their children.
Many people, besides at marches, talk about feeling unfulfilled, and although they come to events and even aid in their organization, they feel increasingly discouraged. The goal of our march is besides to show that as individuals we have very limited possibilities to influence reality, but creating a community of people with akin values, our situation is already completely different. Together we can accomplish much more, and in addition, we support each another so as to rise the spirits of those who begin to uncertainty the strength of good and truth.
And what reception from different environments, e.g. city authorities, local parishes or average residents of the city is this initiative? Were there any obstacles to the organization of the event?
From year to year, we meet with an increasingly friendly reception of our initiative. Local officials and police show us large support and professionalism, so that the March for Life and household can be held in a quiet, safe atmosphere. Rather, the city authorities have adopted a distance strategy – they do not hinder the organisation, but they do not show interest either. For us, however, the most crucial thing is that we can carry out the event without any formal obstacles and in a spirit of common respect.
A large support is the Church, who from year to year is actively helping us to advance both the march and its organization. We can number on aid at all level – from Archbishop Joseph Kupny, through parish priests to secular communities. This is, however, a collaboration that has slowed down. Our group, which has organised a march in Wrocław for 4 years, is secular people engaged in various social activities, so it took any time to gain the Church's trust.
Although the March for Life and household has a very positive, household character, we do not avoid hard subjects, and sometimes even the very talk about specified a traumatic and individual as abortion creates utmost emotions. We effort with large sensitivity to people who treat killing unborn children as “choice”. We do not want to incite political disputes and social antagonisms, but we must not close our eyes to the abortion genocide that is presently taking place in the world.
This year's edition was peculiarly moving – we focused on the certificates of parents who heard dramatic diagnoses about the wellness of their unborn children. Many have not been moved to hear the communicative of the conflict for life, which could have been legally interrupted even recently. specified a message – calm, full of empathy and fact – reaches people much more effectively than loud slogans. It is not sound and volume that we should talk to abortion supporters, and the language of love – specified were the reflections of participants of this year's march.
As far as social reception is concerned, people in Wrocław respond very differently. In erstwhile years there have been tiny countermanifests, but there have never been serious incidents. This year, no appeared – possibly due to the fact that earlier attempts to disrupt the march did not bring the expected results. These utmost groups are no problem for us, and I am more afraid about the frequently mistaken reception of our event in public space.
W There are inactive comments on the net identifying the march with the political movement, which is totally untrue. Our march is simply a bottom-up, apolitical and full social initiative. We do not receive any funding, we do not advance parties or politicians, and before each event we call not to bring any flags or banners of organization character. Although we effort to emphasize the social nature of the event in all way, we are inactive faced with allegations of organization affiliation. The march is to unite people who value all life, regardless of their political views or even their religion. Therefore, the challenge is to convince people that our event is beyond politics, and our objectives go far beyond elections.
Why do you think we are seeing a household crisis present and how to encourage young people to start families and have children?
If there were a simple answer to this question, Poland would have enjoyed a demographic advanced for a long time. Unfortunately, all programs and strategy solutions do not bring the expected results, due to the fact that the problem lies deeper – in the mentality of modern society. Even couples who are professed to be believing and conservative are increasingly delaying the decision about matrimony and children, and this naturally leads to a decrease in birth rates.
Change of mentality is simply a long-term process, but we cannot be discouraged. If we anticipate others to change, we gotta start with each other. In this context, I am reminded of John Paul II's appeal: "You must ask of yourselves even if others do not require of you." That's very timely. We will not change the planet by complaining or moralizing – the most effective example is simply a good example. Therefore, at our marches we effort to show circumstantial families and people who, with their lives, bear witness to the value of matrimony and parenthood.
Communities play a immense function here. If all day we environment ourselves with people for whom the household is simply a natural and joyful choice, then we ourselves begin to strive. Of course, it is not about rejecting single or childless people – their presence in society is besides very important. But we should strive for large happy families to become the norm again, not the exception. Each of us is called to a different work, but we should jointly advance the inseparability of matrimony and household as the foundation of a healthy society.
The next step should be cultural change – the recovery of the space of art, media and education for civilization. We request movies, series, books or performances that show the value of marriage, parenthood, regular sacrifice and love. It's not pushy propaganda, it's truly valuable positions and works. New, talented creators are needed who will not be subject to the cult of ugliness and depravity as dominant forms of art practice. specified fresh currents and trends should become part of a broadly understood "fashion" for a household that is not controlled by the state, but grows from the bottom-up belief that the household is man's top wealth.
Of course, the state besides has its function here – it should defend the institution of marriage, support parents in raising children in accordance with their beliefs and guarantee the safety of citizens. But a real change will only begin erstwhile young people feel that starting a household and having children is not a work but a beautiful, meaningful vocation.
Thank you for talking.
