On the occasion of the celebration of the U.N. 2015 International Day of Families organized by the Division for Social Policy and Development of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), and at an event promoted by the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations, as well as H.E., the Most Rev. Bernardito Auza, Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations, the President of the Pontifical Council for the Family, H. E., the Most Rev. Vincenzo Paglia, spoke on the issue of the family in relation to the achievement of the United Nation’s proposed Sustainable Development Goals.
At the meeting, Archbishop Paglia underlined the fact that the family is a “unique anthropological reality” that constitutes a resource for society. Recalling the dignity of human life, “from the moment of conception to its natural end”, His Excellency highlighted the role of the family in forming part of every person’s patrimony, whose life finds natural fulfilment within the context of the love, unity, and support of the family, as opposed to the impoverishment of human living and expression fostered by individualism. In view of the family’s innate ability to give to its members the care and human affection so necessary for personal maturity, fulfilment and well-being at large, Archbishop Paglia affirmed that the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals must include the promotion of the family, so as to best ensure the advancement of those “values, practicalities and experiences without which no human development is possible.”
