Madrid, December 3 | A decade of action in favor of freedom, the family and the culture of life: this is the Madrid Commitment, assumed by 300 political and civic leaders from 45 countries in Europe, America and Africa.
This global alliance was announced during the VI Transatlantic Summit held by the Political Network for Values (PNfV) at the Spanish Senate on December 1 and 2 of this year.
“Our Transatlantic Summit, more than a meeting, is a call to action. Speeches are not enough, we have to act in a global and increasingly articulate way so that the dignity of every human being is respected at all stages of his or her development,” said Croatian MEP Stephen Bartulica, the new PNfV president.
“I encourage you to stand firm and persevere in defending what is good and true. Your example inspires people all over the world. We must fight in the arena of politics, but winning elections is not enough, it is culture that will ultimately determine the fate of our nations. Here we must not give an inch. We are called to win the hearts and minds of the next generation,” he said.
A five-point agenda
The Madrid Commitment was read by a group of young leaders and establishes that over the next ten years the signatories will promote a five-point agenda.
The first is to ensure that laws and governments respect the exercise of freedom to defend the dignity of every human being and his or her right to life, from conception to natural death, and to express one’s convictions peacefully and respectfully.
Encourages the development of legislative initiatives and public policies that establish an environment conducive to family formation and stability, so that men and women can fully exercise their universal right to marry, found a family and freely educate their children.
It states that they will generate a culture that celebrates life, appreciates the family and affirms the responsible exercise of freedom: and affirms that they will work to ensure that governments subscribe to and assume the Declaration of the Geneva Consensus, which promotes women’s health, respect for the life that is born and the sovereignty of peoples.
Finally, the Madrid Commitment gives continuity to the New York Declaration, which proposes a World Alliance demanding that the Universal Declaration of Human Rights be interpreted according to its original meaning.
An instrument for joining efforts
For the Network’s leadership, the document is seen as an instrument that will broaden its advocacy capacity and bring together politicians and civic leaders from around the world.
The document was welcomed by delegations from Argentina, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Cameroon, Chile, Colombia, Croatia, Dominican Republic, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Kenya, Mexico, Morocco, Nigeria, Panama, Paraguay, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Sierra Leone, Switzerland, Uganda, Ukraine and Venezuela, among other countries.
Among the Summit participants were Nahuel Sotelo, Secretary of Worship and Civilization of Argentina; Márton Ugrósdy, Undersecretary of State in the Prime Minister’s Office of Hungary; Members of the European Parliament Kinga Gal, of Hungary; Stephen Bartulica, of Croatia; Nicolas Bay, of France; Paolo Inselvini, of Italy; Margarita de la Pisa, of Spain; and Serban-Dimitrie Sturdza, of Romania.
Also U.S. Congressman Andy Harris; Paola Holguín, Senator and presidential pre-candidate from Colombia; Senator Eduardo Girão and Congressman Nikolas Ferreira from Brazil; Parliamentarians Stephan Schubert from Chile; Nicolás Mayoraz from Argentina; Rogelio Genao from the Dominican Republic; Ignacio Garriga, from Spain; Rita Maria Matias, from Portugal; Gudrun Kugler, from Austria; Krzysztof Bosak and Krzysztof Szczucki, from Poland; John Crane, member of the Indiana Senate; and Kerri Seekins-Crowe, member of the Montana House of Representatives, both from the United States.
Speakers from Africa included parliamentarians Lucy Akello of Uganda and Samuel Sam, peace ambassador for the Government of Sierra Leone, and there were seven delegations from the continent.
A new president of the Network
A change in PNfV’s leadership took place during the Summit. Croatian MEP Stephen Bartulica is the new president, taking over from José Antonio Kast, who served a term of two and a half years.
“José Antonio Kast’s period at the head of the Network has been full of fruits. His prestige, vision and personal integrity allowed us to move forward and generate greater synergies and increasingly effective articulations. Now, under the leadership of Stephen Bartulica, our network will continue to open new paths to broaden the impact of our agenda,” says Velarde.
Bartulica is 54 years old, was born in St. Joseph, USA, and is the son of Croatian parents. He is married and the father of four children. He holds a degree in Political Science from the University of Missouri and a PhD in Political Philosophy and Ethics from the Pontifical Gregorian University. He is an associate professor of political philosophy at the Catholic University of Croatia. Founder of the think tank Center for Renewal of Culture. He was a member of the Parliament of his country (2020) and is currently a member of the European Parliament (2024). He is co-founder and International Secretary of the DOMiNO party and member of the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR).
The summit is made possible thanks to the support of partner organizations of the Network: The Heritage Foundation, Foundation for a Civic Hungary, Center for Fundamental Rights, International Organization for the Family, Family Watch International; Center for Family and Human Rights; Centro de Estudios, Formación y Análisis Social – CEU-CEFAS, Family Research Council, Fundación Neos, Ordo Iuris – Institute for Legal Culture; Talenting Group and Más Cinco.
***
THE MADRID COMMITMENT
On the occasion of the 30th Anniversary of the International Year of the Family and the 10th Anniversary of the Political Network for Values
From Madrid City for Life, (1) we, representatives of Governments, political leaders democratically elected, youth and civic leaders, from 45 countries in Europe, America and Africa, announce the beginning of a decade of action in favor of freedom, the family and a culture of life, aimed at turning the tide of our times.
At the VI Transatlantic Summit of the Political Network for Values, we have reaffirmed the recognition of the infinite dignity of every human life, on every stage, as the foundation of our civilization. And we have also affirmed the freedom to publicly express and promote our values, as an inalienable key to a democratic society.
For this reason, we commit to establish bonds of unity and collaboration among us to:
- Guarantee that our laws and governments respect the exercise of freedom to defend the dignity of every human being and his or her right to life, from the moment of conception till the natural death, and to express one’s convictions in a peaceful and respectful manner.
- Promote legislative initiatives and public policies that establish an environment conducive to family formation and stability, so that men and women can fully exercise their universal right to marry, found a family and freely educate their children, as an essential driver for a culture of life.
- Work so that our governments subscribe and implement the Geneva Consensus Declaration. (2)
- Foster the growth of a Global Alliance for the universally agreed human rights and fundamental freedoms, as proposed in the New York Declaration, (3) demanding that the Universal Declaration of Human Rights be interpreted according to its original meaning.
- Be generators, in all the environments within our reach, of a culture that celebrates life, appreciates the family and affirms the responsible exercise of freedom.
By undertaking these commitments, we are working for the fulfillment of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and, in particular, its preamble and articles 1, 2, 3, 7, 16, 18, 17, 19, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27 and 28.
We are at a turning point of an era change. Therefore, we call upon our contemporaries, political, civic and intellectual leaders, to join us in this endeavor. It is time to bring forth a new spring for freedom, the family and a culture of life.
Madrid, December 2, 2024
1. Decision approved by the plenary session of the Madrid City Council in session 4/2024 on April 30 (Point 29).
2. Geneva Consensus Declaration (Doc. A/75/626, 75th session of the UN General Assembly).
3. New York Declaration, on the occasion of the V Transatlantic Summit of the Political Network for Values (Doc. A/78/639, 78th session of the UN General Assembly).
