Contact: Don Feder, 508-405-1337, dfeder@rcn.com; Lisa Youngblood, 815-964-5819, lisa@worldcongress.org; both with World Congress of Families 

ROCKFORD, Ill., May 5, 2011 /Christian Newswire/ -- Along with the NGO Family Association of Latvia and the Riga City Welfare Department, World Congress of Families is co-sponsoring the Third Annual International Riga Family Forum -- The Natural Family as A Value and State's Priority on May 13 in Riga, Latvia, at the Riga City Hall.

The Forum will focus on demographics in relation to governments, economies, health and education.  It will also consider how Latvia and the EU would benefit demographically from a long-term strategy that supports the natural family.

World Congress of Families Managing Director Larry Jacobs commended Latvian family activists on their dedication: "This is the third year in a row that our Latvian friends have organized an outstanding professional program for the Riga Family Forum. We are delighted to be working with them to raise public awareness of issues relevant to declining birthrates and the need to bolster the natural family.  Healthy natural families make for a healthy economy and a healthy nation."

The President and Prime Minister of Latvia, as well as the Mayor of Riga and other public officials, have been invited to make opening remarks.

Participation by the following speakers is confirmed:

Prof. Igors Beloborodovs, Director of Demographic Research Institute (Russia) 
Topic: "Demographic Situation in the World." Demographic prognosis and Development of Political Strategies Regarding the Demographic Situation and Solutions through Russia to Europe

Tobias Teuscher, EU Coordinator (Belgium) for the World Congress of Families
Topic: "Demographic Winter"

Liga Abolina, Parlilamentary advisor for Family Policy 
Topic: "Family support events and their influence on the demographic situation in Latvia."

Gabor Dobokay, Hungarian Ambassador to Latvia, will read the remarks of Miklos Soltesz, Minister of State for Social, Family and Youth Affairs of Hungary. 
Topic: "Hungary's Experience in the Present Demographic Situation."

Marijo Zivkovic,  Co-director of Family Center in Zagreb, Croatia
Topic: "Positive Developments in Croatia."

Dainis Stikuts, "Swedbank" Senior Economist, Family Association, Marriage Encounter President (Latvia),
Topic: "Demographics and the Economy; The Connection between Economics and Welfare."

Dr. Jānis Caunītis MD (Latvia), representative to the World Health Organization specializing in addiction. 
Topic: "Demography and Health"

Dr.Paed. Irena Kondrate (Latvija), Director, Riga City Health Department
Topic: "Demography and Education"

Joannes Buher (Austria), European Coordinator of Human Life International, Higher Institute for Economics. 
Topic:  "Demography and Life"

Following lunch there will be a general discussion of the issues under consideration and adoption of a conference resolution.

The documentary, "The New Economic Reality: Demographic Winter" will also be shown: www.theneweconomicreality.com.

There is no registration fee and the Forum is open to the public. Seating is limited. To register, contact Gunta Irba by clicking here: mgirbe@apollo.lv.

The Third International Riga Family Forum  is one of six regional events World Congress of Families is sponsoring or co-sponsoring this year. Click here for April 29 press release "World Congress of Families to Hold Regional Events in Riga, Sydney, Vancouver, London, Moscow and Lagos in Next Three Months."

To learn more about World Congress of Families, click here: www.worldcongress.org.  To schedule an interview with Larry Jacobs contact Don Feder at dfeder@rcn.com or call 508-405-1337.

The World Congress of Families (WCF) is an international network of pro-family organizations, scholars, leaders and people of goodwill from more than 60  countries that seek to restore the natural family as the fundamental social unit and the 'seedbed' of civil society (as found in the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 1948).  The WCF was founded in 1997 by Allan Carlson and is a project of The Howard Center for Family, Religion & Society in Rockford, Illinois.  To date, there have been five World Congresses of Families – Prague (1997), Geneva (1999), Mexico City (2004), Warsaw, Poland (2007) and Amsterdam, The Netherlands (2009).  World Congress of Families VI will be held in Madrid, Spain in May 25-27, 2012.