Budapest, Hungary - On May 15 we organized a day of family volunteering and an outing at a temporary residence for families who had to leave their homes due to financial problems. On the following day, there was a conference on the role of families in protecting their members in both extreme and normal circumstances.

The theme chosen by the UN for this year's observance of the International Day of Families is the Impact of Migration on Families. Losing their home and having to move into a temporary situation with other families is a type of migration, and it causes great stress to families.

Children living at the residence were eager to participate in all the programs. Walls were painted with cheerful designs, using paint donated by the Family Federation for World Peace. While grown-ups and older children worked on the wall, smaller children were given opportunity to play together and get to know each other. Right after finishing the work on the wall heavy rain started, so we had our humble lunch of sausages sponsored by UPF under the patio together. The youngest participant in the event was a baby one month and two days old, the daughter of one of the main organizers.

At the conference on the family the following day, speakers focused on the value of the family, the protecting role of family in Islam, and the Kolping Association within the Catholic Church. After a lecture on the UPF view of the family as the school of love and peace, the message of UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and the press release of UPF on the International Day of Families were read.

At the end of the conference, True Family Awards were given to five families. An Ambassador for Peace who heads a family of three generations was congratulated by her daughters and a son-in-law.