A large family means a great future: the Large Family Russia Forum opens at the National Centre

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The VI Large Family Russia Forum opened at the National Centre RUSSIA on 18 June. It is one of the key public platforms bringing together families with many children, government representatives, experts, regional teams and public organisations from across the country. The main theme of the plenary session was the role of families with many children in Russia’s demographic development, the strengthening of traditional values and the formation of social policy that responds to the real needs of parents.

The Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation, Tatyana Golikova, addressed the forum participants. She noted that Russia is currently home to more than 2.6 million families with many children, raising around 9 million children.

"Family and demographic policy is one of the most significant and long-term objectives in the development of our country. Today, it is not only about improving individual support measures, but about forming an integrated system that accompanies a family at different stages of life: when children are born, in matters of health, education and employment, improving housing conditions, organising leisure, and raising and developing a child," Tatyana Golikova said.

State Duma deputy Tatyana Butskaya emphasised in her speech that families with many children need special "social lifts" — clear, fast and working without unnecessary bureaucratic barriers. She proposed including issues that are especially important for large families in the forum’s resolution. These include the availability of large cars for families with many children and special state programmes for purchasing them. According to Tatyana Butskaya, such a car for a large family is "absolutely not a luxury", but a means of transport, education, development and recreation for children.

Another important issue is the tax burden on families where parents work hard, including in several jobs, while their income is distributed among a large number of children. Tatyana Butskaya noted that the approach to such families should take into account not only total income, but also the real burden on a large family.

"Families with many children are strength, having many children is happiness, and your children are the future of Russia," she said.

Natalia Karpovich, Head of the Regional Public Organisation "Association of Families with Many Children of the City of Moscow", noted that the forum has become not just an annual meeting, but a major working platform where families, public activists and government representatives jointly look for solutions to support families with many children. According to Natalia Karpovich, families themselves are now creating the life they want to see for their children and for the country. At the same time, parents with many children show young people an example through their daily work and help society see a large family as a space of strength, love, responsibility and development.

Yelena Fedyunina, Chair of the Foundation for Support of Children in Difficult Life Situations, said that over six years the Large Family Russia project has become a unifying platform for families across the country. She emphasised that today it is especially important to show successful families with many children, so that families in different regions can see real examples of a happy, active and dignified life.

Yelena Fedyunina also spoke separately about the All-Russian Family of the Year contest, which is being held for the 11th time. More than 80% of the contest participants are families with many children, and they are represented not only in the separate Families with Many Children nomination, but also in all other nominations. Last year, 460 families were nominated for the federal stage of the contest, while this year, after the completion of the regional stages, 485 applications have already been selected. The Foundation also continues to support projects aimed at helping families, including family multifunctional centres, family workshops and the new Mother’s School. Reload project for mothers raising children with disabilities.

"You are the great heroes of our time, because you love, you believe in children, you raise them and you are creating the future of our great country," Yelena Fedyunina told parents with many children.

Archpriest Dmitry Roshchin, Head of the Office for Work with Public Organisations of the Synodal Department for Church Relations with Society and the Media, spoke about the spiritual meaning of parenthood and upbringing. He emphasised that the birth of a person is a "gift from God" and a "miracle".

The Forum will continue with discussions, work with experts and the preparation of proposals to support families with many children. The winners of the Family Navigator social practices contest will exchange practical experience. One of the programme’s highlights will be a fashion show, where families with many children will present the beauty, national colour and creative potential of a large family.