On Whit Sunday, the Day of Pentecost, May 27, the Dutch chapter of the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification made a "Pentecost Proposal" for a Family Day in the Netherlands, in recognition of the importance of the family as the basis, the corner stone, of society.

During the Sunday service at the Family Federation center in Amsterdam Zuid, FFWPU-NL President drs. Wim Koetsier explained how if things were well with families, things would be well with society. To many people, this was a central part of their faith and to many more a matter of common sense, and in launching Family Day in the US in 2001, the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA)* at Columbia University had reported that "research consistently finds that the more often children eat dinner with their families, the less likely they are to smoke, drink or use drugs. Parental engagement is the single most potent weapon in preventing substance use and abuse among youth".

During his sermon, Dutch Family Federation Vice-President Hans Campman said that while Pentecost was not the most important festival in the traditional Christian calendar, it was possibly the most important event in human history, Jesus and the Holy Spirit constituting an expression of the fatherhood and motherhood of God. That was the real power of Christianity, the Godly impulse that came from the spiritual True Parents. Christian rebirth was real, it had the power to transform someone, it could even change someone from being a thief or a murderer, as was testified to in the song Amazing Grace: "I was lost but now I’m found, was blind but now I see" (the writer was a Christian minister who had previously been the captain of a ship carrying slaves from Africa to America).

That was the power of Jesus and the Holy Spirit, not one or the other, but both together. Jesus brought the Word, the heavenly standard, and the Holy Spirit bound people together with the feminine, mother’s love, that forgave and encouraged. Christianity had this quality stronger than any other religion.

The Family Federation’s proposal is being supported by a signature campaign, "Actie voor een Nationale Dag van Het Gezin: Gezinnen vormen de basis van onze samenleving. Als het in de gezinnen en families goed gaat, zal het ook goed gaan met de samenleving. Gezinnen zijn dus van groot belang. De Familiefederatie voor Wereldvrede en Unificatie (FWU) stelt daarom voor om een Nationale Dag van Het Gezin in te stellen. Op deze dag kunnen de bijzondere banden die kinderen en ouders met elkaar hebben nog eens extra onderstreept, gewaardeerd en gevierd worden. Het is bij uitstek een dag voor gezinsleden om tijd met elkaar door te brengen en de grote waarde alsmede vitale rol van de familie voor de samenleving te bekrachtigen. In navolging van landen als de V.S., Canada, Israël en Zuid Afrika doen wij een oproep aan de regering om ook in Nederland een dergelijke dag in te stellen. Ondersteun deze actie met uw naam, adres en handtekening!"

The signature campaign is supported by Family Federation lectures throughout the nation, in particular in Amsterdam, Den Haag and Oeffelt (Noord Brabant).

* The Family Federation for World Peace and Unification was founded by the Reverend Dr. and Mrs. Sun Myung Moon in 1996, replacing the Holy Spirit Association for the Unification of World Christianity, which was often known as the Unification Church, though Rev. Moon had always emphasized that his aim was never to form a new church, but to unite together all Christians, and, further, all religious people. The Family Federation is building a network of families from every race, religion and culture, united in the belief that centered on God's love, happy marriages and successful families are the cornerstones for solving the most fundamental problems of society.

On the foundation of the FFWPU, in 1999, Rev. and Mrs. Moon founded the International and Inter-religious Federation for World Peace and in 2005, the Universal Peace Federation.

Rev. Moon has explained: "Our ultimate responsibility is to build world peace, but global peace begins in the family. Harmony, peace and happiness within the family begin with a relationship to the Creator, one of children to parent. Thus, the solution to world peace is to rebind the relationship between the Creator and each family."

* Family Day was first initiated in the US by the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA)* at Columbia University as "a national effort to promote parental engagement as a simple, effective way to reduce youth substance abuse and raise healthier children".

Its research "consistently finds that the more often children eat dinner with their families, the less likely they are to smoke, drink or use drugs. The conversations that go hand-in-hand with dinner will help you learn more about your children’s lives and better understand the challenges they face".

CASA created Family Day – A Day to Eat Dinner with Your Children™ in 2001. Family Day is celebrated on the fourth Monday in September and emphasizes the importance of regular family activities and encourages Americans to make family dinners a regular feature of their lives. Parental engagement is the single most potent weapon in preventing substance use and abuse among youth!

In 2005, George W. Bush gave his presidential blessing to the day, in his proclamation "calling on the people of the United States to observe this day by spending time with family members and reaffirming the important relationship between parents and children and the vital role that families play in our society".

"Families are a source of hope, stability, and love. On Family Day, we celebrate the special bonds that link children and parents, and we recognize the importance of parental involvement in the lives of their children. By providing guidance, support, and unconditional love, families help shape the character and future of our Nation.

"In a free and compassionate society, the public good depends upon the private character of our citizens. That character is formed and shaped from a child's earliest days through the love and guidance of family. Families help children understand the difference between right and wrong and the importance of making good choices. Regular family activities allow parents to be actively involved in the lives of their children and instill important values of honesty, compassion, and respect for others. By raising young people in a loving and secure environment, parents help them develop into successful adults and responsible citizens.

"Parents and family are a bedrock of love and support, and my Administration is committed to strengthening families. My 2006 budget proposes $240 million for initiatives that promote responsible fatherhood and encourage healthy marriages. Through competitive grants to State-based programs and faith-based and community organizations, we are helping support their good work. As parents continue to raise healthy children, we can all help young people realize a bright and promising future.

"Strong families are the cornerstone of a strong America, and the well-being of families is a shared priority for all Americans. As we support families, we help build a Nation of opportunity and hope."

Family Day is also a celebrated (on different days) in Israel, the Canadian provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan and South Africa.