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

ROCKFORD, Ill., Oct. 1, 2013 /Christian Newswire/ -- Due to the heroic efforts of the Serb pro-family group Dveri, it was decided not to issue a permit for a "gay pride" parade in Belgrade last week.  When the government seemed ready to bow to pressure from the U.S. and E.U., leaders of the international pro-family movement provided support for upholding family values.

A September 28th rally in the center of Belgrade was attended by several thousand pro-family activists. It was addressed by leaders of Dveri, including Srdjan Nogo and Jugoslav Kiprijanovic.

World Congress of Families was represented by Communications Director Don Feder and Alexey Komov, WCF Representative in Russia and the CIS, and head of the organizing committee for World Congress of Families VIII, in Moscow, the Kremlin, September 10-12, 2014.  Fabrice Sorlin, a French pro-family activist, also spoke.

Feder told the crowd: "Your fight is our fight. The fight for the family is a fight for civilization. World Congress of Families and its more than 40 Partners in 16 countries is proud to stand with the Serbian people for the natural family -- the fundamental unit of society which is guaranteed  protection under the 1948 United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights."

Komov mentioned Russia’s adoption of a law banning the distribution of LGBT propaganda to minors and invited participants to Moscow next year for World Congress of Families VIII (www.worldcongress.ru).

"The Serbian people are not alone. There are millions of people on all continents supporting the natural family and traditional values.  World Congress of Families is happy to be in Belgrade at this historic moment and to be helping to build an international pro-family movement," Komov declared (see his full speech at www.familypolicy.ru).

Sorlin reminded the rally: "In France, more than two million people marched for the natural family and against 'gay marriage.' The assault on the family is a global phenomenon and must be answered by a global movement. Long live free Serbia! Long live free France." 

The rally was followed by a march through Belgrade, led by a sound truck playing patriotic songs, and included families with children in strollers, students and the elderly. Marchers displayed Serbian flags and Dveri banners.

At the conclusion of the march, leaders announced that they were prepared to wait there all night for the government's decision.  Shortly thereafter, a government spokesman announced that a permit would not be issued for a "gay pride" parade, planned for the next day.

Feder commented: "This is a victory for Serbian families. Dveri is truly an inspiration.  Its dedicated volunteers have brought passion and communications savvy to the fight for the natural family in Serbia.  World Congress of Families is proud to welcome Dveri as its newest Partner."

Feder also participated in two press conferences and a roundtable discussion at Belgrade's international press center, as well as being interviewed by Swedish public radio. The day of the march, he was a guest on Focus, the nation's largest radio station.

Dveri is planning to host a WCF regional event for the Balkans next spring as a preparatory conference for WCF VIII Moscow in the Kremlin, September 10-12, 2014 (worldcongress.ru).  The group recently translated into Serbian the "The Natural Family: A Manifesto" a foundational WCF booklet from its parent organization, The Howard Center for Family, Religion, and Society (www.profam.org).

An International Planning Committee meeting for WCF VIII will be held in Moscow, October 15-16.  Visit www.worldcongress.org for more information about World Congress of Families.  For more information or to schedule an interview contact Don Feder at dfeder@rcn.com, don@worldcongress.org, or by phone at 1-508-405-1337.

What is the Howard Center and World Congress of Families?  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 was held in Sydney, Australia, May 15-18, 2013, www.wcfsydney2013.org.au.  WCF VIII Moscow 2014 will be held September 10-12 in the Kremlin. www.worldcongress.ru.