During this year’s demographic conference in Budapest, Hungary’s President Katalin Novák emphasized that it becomes meaningless to focus on climate change and “saving the Earth” if no children are being born to inherit it.
The country’s prime minister Viktor Orban also lamented that there is no indication that the liberal elite in the west will start pursuing a more family-friendly policy, and instead, the hope lies in national conservative forces taking power in more countries.
Every other year since 2015, the Budapest Demographic Summit has been organized in Hungary to highlight and discuss issues related to family formation, birth rates, and demographic challenges. From September 14-16, it was time again, and this time, in addition to Hungarian top politicians, Serbia’s president Aleksandar Vucic, Italy’s prime minister Giorgia Meloni, and Bulgaria’s president Rumen Radev participated, among many invited foreign speakers.
The conference is described as “the most important international strategic forum on demographic issues”, where leaders from around the world meet “share their thoughts on how to create a secure and predictable future for families and future generations”.
“The family must be protected not only for its intrinsic value, its demographic indispensability, its economic benefits, but also because it is a safe point when we face challenges, when the world around us seems to be falling apart. As Pope John Paul II said: ‘As the family goes, so goes the nation and so goes the whole world in which we live'”, it is further written.
The family is the solution
In contrast to left-liberal mainstream views, family formation is not presented as a problem but as a key to solving the challenges humanity faces, emphasizing the importance of preserving “our home, birthplace and culture for our children and grandchildren”.
“BDS attendees believe that our planet is not endangered by responsible childbearing and parenting, but the contrary; Strong families are the key to a culture of responsibility that overcomes a lifestyle of waste. They believe that the key to our sustainable future is through strengthening families financially and morally, and making resources work for the prosperity of families. They believe that families are the fundamental components of a nation, that addressing demographic challenges must be a key priority, and effective solutions must be developed to overcome them”, it is further emphasized.
The 5th #BudapestDemographicSummit has started. In my opening speech, I emphasized that the #demographic winter that has arrived in the developed world is now turning into an ice age. And while the alarm bells are being rung because of #ClimateChange, hardly anyone is paying… pic.twitter.com/HUyAQlPYU2
— Katalin Novák (@KatalinNovak_HU) September 14, 2023
Hungary’s president Katalin Novák, who was the hostess at the event, pointed out that the demographic crisis is ignored in left-liberal narratives even though its effects are potentially “irreparable.”
“At the #BudapestDemographicSummit, I thought it important to point out that if childlessness becomes general, and fewer children are born every year than are left, our beloved and believed-to-be-safe world will fall apart. Without #children, there is no future. It only makes sense to take care of the #Earth if we have children and grandchildren to whom we can pass it on”, she also clarifies on X, formerly Twitter.
At the #BudapestDemographicSummit, I thought it important to point out that if childlessness becomes general, and fewer children are born every year than are left, our beloved and believed-to-be-safe world will fall apart. Without #children, there is no future. It only makes… pic.twitter.com/uAmhg4zmQU
— Katalin Novák (@KatalinNovak_HU) September 14, 2023
Orbán slams liberal leaders
In the left-liberal media, the conference and its focus on family formation over migration and careerism are mocked, with the main narrative being to link it to the usual slanders of “populism”, “right-wing extremism”, “racism” and “conspiracy theories”.
Hungary’s prime minister Viktor Orbán gave a speech in which he emphasized that it will be difficult to convince the liberal elites who govern the west that more family-friendly policies must be implemented – instead expressing hope that more national-conservative forces will come to power in as many countries as possible.
🇭🇺@PM_ViktorOrban: I've learned that convincing the current liberal elites is unlikely.
We simply need to sideline them and ensure that #FamilyFriendly, #conservative forces come to power in as many countries as possible.
Next year's European elections provide an opportunity… pic.twitter.com/9sfZoWInya
— Balázs Orbán (@BalazsOrban_HU) September 14, 2023
Italy’s prime minister Giorgia Meloni took the opportunity to praise Hungary’s family policy, stating that the country is the prime example of how political will and targeted measures can actually break the trend of negative birth rates.
– Italy looks with admiration at the results Hungary has achieved, she exclaimed.
Another well-known participant was psychology professor and psychologist Jordan Peterson, who emphasized among other things that a partner, children, family, and community are among the most important things one needs in life.
– You have to exist in relationship to them, or there’s no hope for society, he said, among other things.
