Freedom, commitment and dignity
What impact have recent trends and developments had, including migration and militant secularism, on the essential role of family and marriage for the maintenance of freedom and human dignity in Europe? How can we defend personal freedom and responsibility, fundamental rights and the family, the vital pillars of a free society? How can we advance our common cause of free and just societies in Europe through active advocacy?

Chair: Romkje Fountain

14.00-15.15 Session 1: 
Introduction
Presentation – Lorcan Price: Defending the family in a changing legal landscape
Discussion

16.00 – 17.15 Session 2:   Romkje Fountain Sustaining marriage, sustaining society
Introduction
Presentation – Lorcan Price: Lessons from the Irish Marriage Referendum
Responses – Richard Kane, How to have a better marriage;  Paulien Timmer, Long and Happy marriages
Discussion
Conclusions and prayer

Lorcan Price (IE), lawyer at the Strasbourg office of the Alliance Defending Freedom, an alliance-building legal organization advocating for the right of people to freely live out their faith. A former Irish debating champion, Lorcan focuses on the ECHR and the Council of Europe.

Richard Kane (UK) is founder of Marriage Week International. He and his Swedish wife Maria have three grown children and live in Wimborne, UK. He regularly speaks to audiences about marriage and relationships and has addressed UN ambassadors, spoken on BBC and launched Marriage Week in the UK, USA, Czech and Hungarian parliaments.

Pauline Timmer is a young Dutch researcher who interviewed over 100 couples married for over 40 years or more to find out the secret of long and happy relationships. She wrote her findings in a Dutch book, Lang en gelukkig.

Session 2 Response – Paulien Timmer: Long and Happy 

ARE THERE ANY COUPLES MARRIED FOR A LONG TIME AND HAPPILY SO? WHY DO YOU NOT HEAR ABOUT THEM? DOES IT EVEN EXIST, LONG AND HAPPY? CAN YOU BE TOGETHER FOR OVER 40 YEARS AND STILL HAVE BUTTERFLIES IN YOUR STOMACH?

For answers on these and many other questions, Paulien went to the only group who can say that they know: those who made this a reality. A hundred couples that had been married for over 40 years told Paulien their stories and their experiences. Read more…