On January 23, 2025, Freedom and Identity in Central Europe (FICE) hosted a workshop titled “Family and Identity: how preserving parental rights makes or breaks kids” at the Willard Office Building in Washington, DC. The event brought together experts from diverse backgrounds to discuss the balance between parental rights, child protection, and the role of cultural and religious identity in shaping policies that empower families and safeguard children.

Welcome Remarks

The workshop began with a warm welcome from Lilla Nóra Kiss, co-founder of Freedom and Identity in Central Europe. In her opening remarks, Dr. Kiss highlighted the importance of family as a cornerstone of society and the need for dialogue to address complex questions surrounding parental rights and child protection. She emphasized that the workshop’s goal was to generate actionable solutions that can ensure the well-being of children.

Keynote Speech

The keynote address was delivered by Emilie Kao, Senior Counsel and Vice President of Advocacy Strategy for Alliance Defending Freedom. She spoke passionately about the role of parents as primary educators and moral guides, giving specific examples of the child protection system failing and succeeding. Furthermore, she underscored the role of the fit parent presumption in legislation, which assumes parents act in their children’s best interests unless proven otherwise. She argued that the state’s primary obligation toward children is to assist and support parents rather than supplant their role. Her speech set a thoughtful tone for the subsequent discussions.

Panel Discussion

The panel discussion, moderated by Mónika Mercz, a visiting researcher at The George Washington University, featured distinguished speakers:

  • Jay W. Richards, PhD, Director of the Richard and Helen DeVos Center for Life, Religion, and Family and William E. Simon Senior Research Fellow, The Heritage Foundation
  • Ismail Royer, Director of Islam and Religious Freedom at the Religious Freedom Institute
  • John Wesley Reid, Director of Communications and Marketing at Do No Harm

The panelists addressed a series of thought-provoking questions:

  1. Role of Parents as Educators: The panelists emphasized the foundational role of parents in instilling moral values and cultural identity. They highlighted how different faith traditions view this responsibility as both a privilege and a duty.
  2. Balancing Protection and Overreach: A nuanced discussion emerged around the state’s role in intervening when children face abuse or neglect. The panelists agreed that intervention must be balanced carefully to avoid infringing on parental rights while ensuring child safety.
  3. Policy Recommendations: Panelists suggested frameworks that empower parents, while ensuring mechanisms are in place to protect children from harm. They concluded with a unifying message for policymakers: courage is critical in doing our absolute best to protect children and ensure their safe upbringing.

Closing Thoughts

The discussions highlighted the delicate interplay between empowering families and safeguarding children. Key themes included the importance of the state’s supportive role toward parents, and the necessity of meaningful dialogue in regard to religious freedom, identity formation, and the role of parents in their children’s lives.

FICE extend their deepest gratitude to all speakers and participants for making this event a success. We look forward to future collaborations in our shared mission to strengthen families and protect children.

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