The formal ceremony for the bestowal of the Family Defense Award 2019 upon Dr. Valeriu Ghilețchi, the parliamentary Vice-President of the Republic of Moldova, took place on Friday in the Romanian Parliament with the presence of several parliamentarians.

The Romanian parliamentarian Ben-Oni Ardelean was our host, accompanied by his colleagues Titus Corlatjan and Florica Chereches, for the ceremony in the grand Titulescu Room, which was led by KKN´s Chairman, Jan-Aage Torp.

Congratulations

The 2017 Family Defense Award Laureates, the Marius & Ruth Bodnariu family with all six children, participated with a congratulatory speech and song.

Greetings were conveyed from the 2018 Award Laureates, Jerzy Kwasniewski, President of the Ordo Iuris Institute in Poland, and the Polish-Norwegian medical doctor,  Katarzyna Jachimowicz. 

From Norway, psychology specialist Einar C. Salvesen spoke, extending congratulations on behalf of 250 professionals who signed the Notice of Concern regarding Barnevernet to the Miniister of Chiildren and Equality in 2015.

The Reason

The award is a plaque with a portrait of the suffering Christ, painted by the reknown artist from Telemark province, Reidar Kolbrek.

In the reason for the award, KKN writes:

«Kristen Koalisjon Norge (KKN) bestows the Family Defense Award 2019 upon Valeriu Ghilețchi, because of his extraordinary and exemplary role as a politician who during his international and national political life since 1998 has applied his firm Christian convictions and values, translating them into language and strategies that are recognized and accepted by political leaders in Europe. He has stood up for religious freedom, family values, and the sanctity of life from conception until natural death in several debates and processes in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) as well as in the Parliament of the Republic of Moldova.

Politically, Valeriu Ghilețchi is a craftsman of ideological and political statements and agreements, leading to his role as a rapporteur of several PACE investigations. His giftings in these processes make him a role model for politicians in Europe.

He has also served in PACE as the Chairman of the Committee on the Election of Judges to the European Court of Human Rights.

Valeriu Ghilețchi represents a small and economically underprivileged European nation, Moldova, making his international political achievements remarkable. This also indicates the emerging role that the Republic of Moldova has as an ideological leader in the development of the institutions of Europe.

Ghilețchi´s work as the official rapporteur of PACE in 2016-2018 led to the majority resolution of PACE on June 28th, 2018: «Striking a balance between the best interest of the child and the need to keep families together» This resolution was based on the Bodnariu case in Norway, and sets the standard for child welfare services all over Europe as well as for the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg.

Ghilețchi is a recognized baptist pastor in Moldova and the former President of European Baptist Federation (EBF).»