May 15 is the annual celebration of the World Day Families as proclaimed by the General Assembly of the UN in 1994. This celebration offers, through the various events connected to it, the possibility of promoting awareness of problems and resources in regard to the family. The UN has stated that the family is “the fundamental group of society and the natural environment for the growth and well being of all its members and particularly children.” Themes in years past have dealt with solidarity among families, the family and economic crisis, and difficulty among couples, among others. There is also attention given to the important role that fathers occupy within the nuclear family, a role that is exercised amidst daily challenges and responsibilities.
This year in celebrating the XX anniversary of the World Day of Families a great opportunity presents itself to recognize and reflect upon the essential role of the family in modern society. An important objective is thus to illustrate the role of nuclear family in the overall development of the human person, and develop initiatives and points of reflections to confront problems facing the family in modern society. In 2014, central themes will be reconciling work and family, social integration and intergenerational solidarity, and finding strategies to combat poverty in families.