On the occasion of the fourth national March for Life this May 4th, Rome will become the universal capital of the Pro Life movement for two event filled days. A multitude of foreign associations engaged in the fight for the defense of life will be marching alongside the Italians. These groups, participating through their attendance or formally expressed support, hail particularly from the United States (it was of course in the USA where the March for Life was started), alongside associations from France, Spain, Belgium, Poland, Germany, Ireland, England, Lithuania, Australia, Switzerland, Czech Republic, Canada, Nigeria, Portugal and New Zealand.

This year, the day before the March (May 3rd), is full of activities. New to this year’s program of events is the International Congress, which will take place near the Vatican, in the Saint Pius X hall (Via dell’Ospedale, 1). The Congress is promoted by LifeSiteNews, in collaboration with the associations Human Life International and Family Life International New Zealand, and will be dedicated to finding common strategies for the defense of life, above all regarding how to successfully engage and sensitize public opinion on issues of life and related themes.

Representatives of the Pro-Life organizations will meet on the morning of Saturday May 3rd for a closed door meeting, reserved only to those invited to participate. In the afternoon, around 14.30 a meeting, this time open to the public, will be held with two exciting key note speakers:  His Eminence Raymond Leo Cardinal Burke, prefect of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura and Professor George Weigel, academic and celebrated biographer of John Paul II. Principal leaders of Pro Life Groups and Associations will also speak, such as: Congress organizers Steve Jalsevac and John-Henry Westen (LifeSiteNews), Joseph Meaney (Human Life International) Colleen Bayer (Family Life International New Zealand) Virginia Coda Nunziante (spokesperson for the Italian March for Life- Marcia per la Vita), David Bereit (40 Days for Life), Rebecca Kiesling (Save the 1), Reggie Littlejohn Women without Frontiers), Radian Bomberger (Radiance Foundation), John Smeaton (Society for the Protection of Unborn Children), Carlos Beltramo (Population Research Institute) and others.

Also the day before, apart from the congress noted above, the usual conference at the Pontificio Ateneo Regina Apostolorum will also be held, focusing upon bioethics and related themes from a variety of different perspectives.

In the church of Sant’ Andrea della Valle, as in years past, there will be the prayer vigil with the holy rosary and adoration of the Eucharist led again by Cardinal Burke.