International leader, pro-life speaker among advocates coming to SLC

Contact: Benjamin May, 202-737-5339, bmay@policyimpact.com; www.wcf9.org 

SALT LAKE CITY, Aug. 24, 2015 /Standard Newswire/ -- Today the World Congress of Families (WCF) announced the names of four new participants who will join the dynamic list of guest contributors at WCF IX this fall. On October 27-30, 2015, thousands of pro-family advocates will gather to partake in the ninth World Congress of Families in Salt Lake City, Utah.

"The WCF staff and I are beyond grateful to every one of the supporters and participants of our upcoming conference," said Janice Shaw Crouse, executive director of WCF IX. "Each contributor's perspectives and insights will help us better rally an effective and united global voice in favor of the natural family to counter the destructive elements within the emerging 'post-family' culture."  

The names released this week are the following:

Luca Volonté is an Italian politician and former chairman of the European Popular Party in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. Mr. Volonté was elected in the second district of Lombardy during the 1996 elections; he was reelected in 2001, 2006, and 2008. He is currently the CEO of Novae Terrae, a non-profit organization that promotes human rights from the religious point of view.

Dr. Alveda King currently serves as a Pastoral Associate and Director of African-American Outreach for Priests for Life and Gospel of Life Ministries. She is also a voice for the Silent No More Awareness Campaign. Dr. King grew up in the civil rights movement led by her uncle, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. She sees the pro-life movement as a continuation of the civil rights struggle.

Eric Teetsel is the executive director of the Manhattan Declaration, a "call of Christian conscience" on life, marriage, and religious liberty, founded by Charles W. Colson in 2009 and signed by hundreds of prominent Catholic, Orthodox, and Evangelical leaders and over 548,000 others. Mr. Teetsel is responsible for ensuring that the movement continues to inform the public debate over life, marriage, and religious freedom and serves the broader coalition of organizations working on these issues.

Bob McCoskrie is the National Director of Family First New Zealand. Family First NZ has advocates for families on a broad range of issues in New Zealand. The organization seeks to promote strong families, marriage, and the value of life.

The previous lineup of speakers and participants can be viewed on WCF IX's website, wcf9.org/news-releases.  WCF will continue to announce four participants each week throughout the summer.

WCF is the largest gathering of pro-family advocates in the world. WCF IX will seek to provide participants with sound scholarship and effective strategies, as well as mobilize intellectual and advocacy resources to affirm and defend the natural family.

For more information, please visit www.wcf9.org or follow WCF on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.