Contact: Don Feder, World Congress of Families, 508-405-1337, dfeder@rcn.com

MEDIA ADVISORY, June 12 /Christian Newswire/ -- World Congress of Families International Secretary Dr. Allan C. Carlson today congratulated the Alliance of Romania's Families for its successful efforts to amend Romania's civil code to protect marriage and the family.

The changes, adopted earlier this month, include defining marriage as the "freely consented to union of a man and a woman established according to the law."  Marriages (so-called) between persons of the same sex are specifically prohibited as is legal recognition of such unions contracted outside Romania. The code also criminalizes euthanasia and assisted suicide. Prostitution and incest remain criminal acts.

Carlson hailed these changes: "While some countries are choosing 'diversity" over natural law and common sense, Romania is standing firm for marriage and the natural family," Carlson commented. "We are proud of the leadership role the Alliance of Romania's Families has played in effecting these necessary changes." In 2006, the Alliance collected over 650,000 signatures of Romanian voters in support of a defense-of-marriage statute.

"We're also pleased that the Congress was able to lend its support here," Carlson declared. In March 2008, The World Congress of Families collected the signatures of over 100 pro-family leaders from more than 20 countries on a "Petition In Support of Romania's Defense of Marriage."

The petition was signed by many of the most prominent pro-family leaders in the United States, as well as others in Canada, Mexico, Italy, Poland, the Ukraine, Latvia, Australia, Pakistan and Chile.

Carlson concluded: "This shows the value of forging an international pro-family movement and highlights the importance of the upcoming World Congress of Families V in Amsterdam (August 10-12)."

Click here to read the World Congress of Families "Petition In Support of Romania's Defense of Marriage."

For more information on the World Congress of Families, go to www.worldcongress.org. To schedule an interview with Allan Carlson, contact Carol Griesbach at 815-964-5819 or Carol@worldcongress.org.