Contact: Don Feder, 508-405-1337, dfeder@rcn.com; The Howard Center for Family, Religion & Society, 815-964-5819, media@worldcongress.org

ROCKFORD, Ill., March 8, 2013 /Christian Newswire/ -- Managing Director Larry Jacobs announced that World Congress of Families would co-sponsor the March 26th "March for Marriage" in Washington, D.C.  The March is timed to coincide with oral arguments in the Supreme Court's Perry case, which will determine the constitutionality of California's Proposition 8, passed by voters in 2008, which provides "only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California."

Jacobs commented: "World Congress of Families is proud to be in such distinguished company as the National Organization for Marriage (the March organizer), Concerned Women for America, Human Life International, Family Research Council and the Catholic Family & Human Rights Institute in resisting efforts to deconstruct marriage -- the foundation of the natural family and civilization and the guarantor of the rights of children to be raised by their mother and father."

National Organization for Marriage, Human Life International and Concerned Women for America all are World Congress of Families Partners, along with organizations in 11 other countries. Another sponsor, CitizenLink, is an affiliate of Focus on the Family another WCF Partner.

Jacobs added: "Our Partners have been in the forefront of efforts to save marriage around the world: (1) including Red Familia's campaign to stop 'same-sex marriage' in Mexico City, (2) Christian Concern's involvement in a coalition which delivered half-a-million signatures to 10 Downing Street on a petition to maintain marriage as the union of a man and a woman in the United Kingdom, and (3) the Australian Family Association, Endeavour Forum and Dads4Kids helping to defeat a 'gay marriage' bill in the Australian Parliament in August 2012."

The societal importance of marriage and the natural family (a universal definition adopted in 1998 by a diverse, multi-faith, working group of international leaders from the World Congress of Families), was affirmed again in The Madrid Declaration, adopted at the conclusion of World Congress of Families VI (May 27, 2012).  It proclaims: The "natural family is inscribed in human nature and centers on the voluntary union of a man and a woman in the lifelong covenant of marriage.  The institution of marriage foremost provides love and joy to the couple and is also aimed for the procreation and rearing of children. The marital union also offers security for them in times of trouble, the foundation for a society that balances order and liberty, and the binding of generations."

"Marriage holds primacy over every other human institution," Jacobs observed. "Jews, Christians and other Abrahamic faiths believe that marriage was ordained by God.  The United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UNDHR) calls the family, based on the marriage of a man and a woman, 'the natural and fundamental group unit of society and [as such] is entitled to protection by society and the State.'  Indeed, both marriage and the family predate the State.  Even secular anthropologists agree that marriage and family were a significant factor in the development of our modern society."

World Congress of Families VII (May 15-18, 2013) in Sydney, Australia will explore the theme "Happy Families, Healthy Economy: A New Vision for Prosperity and Social Progress."  It will include sessions on: The Impact on Children of Legalizing 'Same-Sex Marriage,' Marriage as an Instrument of Human Development, What Families Are Best for the Economy? and a special parliamentary session on "Winning the Legislative Battles."  Brian Brown, president of National Organization for Marriage, will be among the speakers the Congress.  For more information about World Congress of Families VII Sydney 2103, click here: wcfsydney2013.org.au.

Click here -- wcfsydney2013.org.au/registration to register for WCF Sydney 2013.  In honor of the "March for Marriage," use these special discount codes to receive a 20% discount off WCF Sydney 2013 registration -- enter "WCFO1" for standard registration and enter "WCFOS. -- for special spouse registration."

For more information on World Congress of Families, please visit www.worldcongress.org. To schedule an interview with Larry Jacobs, contact Don Feder at 508-405-1337.

The Howard Center for Family, Religion and Society (www.profam.org) is located in Rockford, Illinois and is an independent, non-profit research and education center that provides sound scholarship and effective strategies to affirm and defend the natural family, thus renewing a stable and free society.  The Howard Center is the publisher of the journal, "The Family In America" and is also the organizer of the World Congress of Families (WCF) project which is an international network of pro-family organizations, scholars, leaders and inter-faith people of goodwill from more than 80 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 Dr. Allan Carlson, President of The Howard Center.  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 was held in Madrid, Spain in May 25-27, 2012.  World Congress of Families VII  will be held in Sydney, Australia, May 15-18, 2013, www.wcfsydney2013.org.au.