The Institute of Advanced Family Studies (IESF) of UIC Barcelona organised the 2nd Conference on Family Support  with the support of the Joaquim Molins Figueras Foundation, on 3 and 4 May.  The aim of the conference was to contribute to training professionals who dedicate themselves or wish to dedicate themselves to the task of family support. Over two days, about 400 participants from all over Spain gathered at the University to offer a space for the exchange of ideas and best practice in the field of family support.

The conference was held within the framework of the International Day of the Family, and coincided with two anniversaries: the 30th anniversary of the International Year of the Family declared in 1994 by the United Nations, and the 20th anniversary of the Institute of Advanced Family Studies, which began its journey in 2004.

In the words of the director of the IESF, Montserrat Gas, the purpose of this conference is "to continue promoting a change in the attitude of those who work in the field of family support, with an optimistic vision", always stressing "the importance of the family that is the core of society even in difficult times, and that is why efforts must be focused on it.”

The programme included theoretical and educational presentations by experts from the world of medicine, psychology, pastoral care and communication, among others. Mariolina Ceriotti, Milanese neuropsychiatrist; Juan José Pérez Soba, theologian, priest, professor at the Pontifical John Paul II Institute for the Family and Gabriella Gambino, Undersecretary of the Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life, were the key speakers at the conference.

Neuropsychiatrist Mariolina Ceriotti in her speech on Saturday, titled ‘The Challenge of Forever Love’, stressed the importance of a love for life if you want a rich and deep life: “In forever love and there is no “right” person, only the person you “choose.” You can learn to choose it again, day after day, because the “forever” is in the present. The bad days end and tomorrow will always be a new day that depends on us.”

Ceriotti also participated in the congress on Friday 3 May with a presentation on personal identity and emotional maturity. The expert reviewed the life stages and said that “it is not a contradiction to have a strong sense of self and be capable of being humble, going against the current and being open to others”.

Gambino then explained the Family Global Compact project, a global initiative for the promotion of the family. In his speech he shared the topics that most attract the attention of this project, which brings together universities from all over the world working for the support of the family.

Finally, Pérez Soba spoke about the need to offer pre-emptive support in the society we live in: “This is the solution to the fundamental wound of today’s world, which is loneliness, something that also affects families, so this support helps everyone.”

In addition, the conference also brought together different experts and influencers from the sector in a round table, all of them alumni of the Postgraduate Degree in Family Coaching and Guidance, who shared their personal and professional experience after years of working with families, as well as their projects and innovative initiatives to carry out the work of support.

The rector of UIC Barcelona, Alfonso Méndiz, opened the conference recalling the 1st edition of the 2022 workshop, which “marked a before and after in the field of family support”, with over 800 participants from 50 countries around the world. He also referred to the words of the philosopher Rafael Alvira, who defined the family as “the place to return”, comparing UIC Barcelona to one: “a great family reunion.”

The director of the IESF, Montserrat Gas, closed the conference thanking all the attendees for their active participation and emphasising the conference as an engine to continue working on family support and to highlight the vital importance they have within today's society.