Budapest | Articulated and committed to defending life, strengthening the family and promoting freedom through a concrete agenda of public policies, legislative changes and cultural initiatives, is how the almost 200 leaders and political representatives from three continents who participated return to their countries of origin from Transatlantic Summit IV of the Political Network for Values ​​(PNfV).

José Antonio Kast, president of the PNfV, closed the Summit by calling to action: to fight the political, social, and cultural battle “with the conviction that it is our principles that generate progress and social welfare”.

“We have talked about the challenges we face and the changes we can achieve. Today is a good day, it is the best day, it is the day we all turn to action,” he said.

Kast pointed out that we live in times of “ideological colonization” – a real threat to the most essential values – which spreads through new technologies, imposes a dangerous “culture of cancellation” on those who think differently and coerces their action. And he warned: “It is time for this to change”.

Transatlantic Summit IV of the PNfV was held in Budapest on May 26th and 27th with the participation of senior government officials, legislators, leaders of political and citizens’ organizations and intellectuals, from more than 30 countries in America, Africa and Europe, among which were Argentina, Armenia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Croatia, Republic Czech, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, France, Guatemala, Hungary, Ireland, Kenya, Mexico, Moldova, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, Serbia, Slovakia, Spain, Switzerland, Netherlands, Trinidad and Tobago, Uganda, and Uruguay.

The venue of the Summit, Hungary, is a country where an openly conservative political and social force has been growing for a decade a broad, complex-free, cultural transformation. Moreover, this political force with Minister Viktor Orbán at the helm, recently won its fourth term in government and the Presidency of the country with former Minister of the Family, Katalin Novák, who, until recently, was the head of the PNfV.

Building agenda

According to Lola Velarde, executive director of the PNfV, the summits organized by the Network are a privileged space to establish contacts, encourage personal meetings, strengthening ties, exchanging experiences, establishing strategies, and articulating initiatives among politicians who share the same values. They also allow political representatives to have contact with intellectuals and leaders of serious civil organizations working for the promotion and defense of the dignity of the human being.

Seven round tables were held during the two-day event. In them, high-ranking officials presented the successful public policies implemented by the governments of Hungary, Brazil, Guatemala, and Ecuador in favor of human dignity and freedom; and senators and deputies from three continents shared the high-impact legislative initiatives they have promoted in their parliaments to defend life, to strengthen the family, and to guarantee freedoms.

A select group of intellectuals debated the threats to human dignity emerging in the current epochal change we are experiencing; legislators, diplomats, and activists presented a map of regional and global challenges to human rights; and members of national governments and activists underscored the key role that religious freedom plays today and the need to defend it.

Businessmen, economic specialists, and government officials debated the extraordinary contribution that family businesses make to their countries; and a group of European parliamentarians, together with Jaime Mayor Oreja, Honorary President of the PNfV, reflected on the keys for the renewal of Europe, which include a return to its roots.

Eduardo Verastégui and Mel Gibson presented ‘Sound of Freedom’, an extraordinary film produced by the Mexican actor which denounces the sexual trafficking of minors and made a strong call to action directed to those present.

Finally, a group of young leaders from Europe and America launched the Budapest Declaration for Life, Family, and Freedoms; and the Executive Directorate of the Network presented an Agenda for the Common Good that establishes 7 priorities for the next two years around the defense of human life at the key moments of its beginning and end; the implementation of public family policies; the protection of children and motherhood, religious freedom, and freedom of expression.

Call to action

“I ask you, on your return home, when you have recovered and resumed your daily routines, tomorrow or the day after tomorrow, to think about what you have experienced in this place and to perceive how important it was to meet here. This should not be just another meeting or just another reunion. It should be a compass, a guide for your life and for your political action in the coming years,” said Kast.

“We have talked about human dignity, human freedom, freedom of religion and expression, freedom of enterprise, the indispensable protection of life, the strengthening of families. We have spoken of the changes we can achieve in these areas. Let us move on to action,” he concluded.

At least three countries have presented their candidatures for the next Transatlantic Summit, and it could be held next year. The first Transatlantic Summit was held at the headquarters of the United Nations, New York, in 2014; it was followed by others at the European Parliament, Brussels, in 2017; and at the Capitol of Colombia, Bogota, in 2019; in addition to other regional meetings.