Scottish Catholic Observer

The Fourth International Youth Pro-Life Conference is due to take place at Loch Lomond Youth Hostel on Friday March 18-20 with the aim of building on the success of the last three annual conferences that were supported by hundreds of young people from all over the world. This year’s delegates, like those in previous years, will learn about pro-life issues, will be able to network with fellow pro-lifers and will be encouraged in the struggle to defend and promote life.

The International Youth Pro-Life Conference in Scotland is one of a growing number of pro-life events that take place throughout Europe, such as the Marches for Life in Paris, Brussels, Berlin, Dublin and Belfast and annual pro-life conferences organised by Irish pro-life organisation Youth Defence. We are proud to play our part in this building of a pro-life Europe.

This year’s conference theme is No Less Human. There will be a strong focus on the need to protect all human life, regardless of the physical or mental characteristics particular to a stage of life development, whether it be in the womb or naturally nearing death.

Fr John Fleming is this year’s keynote speaker. A world-renowned bioethicist, Fr Fleming has since 1996 been a member of the Pontifical Academy for Life, the Vatican’s own pro-life think tank. The conference offers a fantastic opportunity to hear this well-respected bioethicist and I urge all those interested in pro-life issues to take advantage of this opportunity. As well as Fr Fleming, the conference will bring together some of the best pro-life speakers the UK has to offer. This is a weekend you cannot afford to miss.

Events at the conference will focus on issues of attitudes towards disability, medical ethics and human rights law. There will also be a session on pro-life activism, designed to educate and encourage those present on how to make the most of their new found pro-life knowledge and enthusiasm, whether that be starting their own pro-life group in school or university or campaigning politically to promote and defend life.

Previous conferences have proved immensely popular and this year’s is filling up fast. The highly informative talks will be interspersed with time to relax. The Friday night film and the Saturday night entertainment always goes down well. This year we will be having a ceilidh on the Saturday so that all those travelling from outwith Scotland get a taste of how Scottish pro-lifers like to enjoy themselves!

The International Youth Pro-Life Conference has played a central role in my own development as a pro-lifer. I attended the 2009 Conference and remember being stunned at the amount of young people in attendance. It was great to realise that there were so many other young people out there who cared about pro-life issues as well. Aside from hearing many moving and informative talks on a whole host of pro-life issues, the 2009 Conference was the first time I had ever heard discussion about ending abortion altogether. I had always thought it was a case of damage limitation but to hear people openly discussing defeating abortion once and for all really had an impact on me. This prompted me to get involved in the pro-life movement, which eventually led to me working full time for SPUC Scotland. In the nearly two years since attending my first pro-life conference, I am convinced more than ever that abortion is the most fundamental human rights issue of our generation, indeed of all time. I cannot encourage readers enough to come along and get involved in the global pro-life movement.

As Pope Benedict XVI said in Hyde Park on September 18 2010: “Each of us has a mission, each of us is called to change the world, to work for a culture of life, a culture forged by love and respect for the dignity of each human person.”

n The cost of the conference is £80 per person, which includes two nights accommodation and meals. For more details visit http//: www.spucconfe

rence.org.uk and join our Facebook group ‘Pro-Life Revolution’. You can register online or by contacting Joe on 0141 221 2094 or emailing [email protected].