On the first weekend of summer holidays in Warsaw, the 9^th Outdoor National Convention of Large Families is held. All families, parents and children from all over Poland, as every year together – although still in the conditions of epidemiological restrictions – show that the power of family determines the future of society as a whole. The meeting is organised by the “Three Plus” Association of Large Families.

Strengthening the family are the key objectives of our government – stressed Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki in a letter to the participants in the 9^th Outdoor National Convention of Large Families. He mentioned the 500+ programme, the solutions of the Polish Deal and the Demographic Strategy 2040.

The letter of the Head of Government to the participants in the convention was read by the Minister of Family and Social Policy, Marlena Maląg.

We want to have children

This year’s Convention focuses on three aspects contained in the slogan: “Family: Tradition. Investment. Future”. An important and constant element of the Convention is the socio-economic panel, which this year was organised at the Warsaw Stock Exchange. The subject of the panel refers to two aspects of the Convention’s slogan: family as an investment and family in the context of the future.

– Family, parenthood, marriage, family life – these are the elements which for the vast majority of Poles are identical to the concept of happiness – said Minister Marlena Maląg during the “Family. Tradition, Investment, Future” panel. – Today, the family and parenthood require even more special attention due to Poland’s alarming demographic situation.

– Therefore, a draft demographic strategy 2040 has been drawn up. On the one hand, to diagnose what is the reason for the fact that the number of children born is lower than the number which the Poles declare they want to have; on the other hand – to indicate directions of measures that could reduce the gap between declarations and reality and to help meet the Poles’ dreams of children and thus increase the fertility rate – explained Minister Maląg.

Four priority areas to be implemented have been identified, with which we should start (the Poles declare that they are the most important to them when deciding on having children): the labour market (certainty and flexibility, stability of employment), housing, health and childcare. Some of the tasks have already been implemented since 2015, some have been expanded in the programmes announced by the POLISH DEAL and further proposals have emerged along with the publication of the draft demographic strategy 2040.

During the Convention, the “Family-Friendly Company 2021” and “Friend of Large Families” statuettes were also presented.