From January 20 to 22, 2026, with the blessing of Metropolitan Longin of Simbirsk and Novospassky, the Simbirsk Diocese will host a Demographic Forum for the first time.
On January 20 and 21, the forum sections will work in different directions. Meetings with doctors, students and teachers of medical and pedagogical educational institutions of the region, psychologists, and young families are planned at the sections.
The forum will be attended by clergymen of the Simbirsk Diocese, as well as representatives of the government and the medical community of the Ulyanovsk region.
The guests of the forum will be addressed by the chairman of the Patriarchal Commission for the Protection of the Family, Motherhood and Childhood, Priest Theodore Lukyanov, and the President of the Women for Life Foundation, member of the Civic Chamber of the Russian Federation, presenter of the Spas TV channel Natalia Moskvitina.
Presentations by participants who are actively working to improve the demographic situation in the Ulyanovsk region are expected.
"First of all, we will discuss the current demographic situation both in the Ulyanovsk region and throughout the country, and together we will look for ways to solve pressing issues, such as the spiritual life of young families, their psychological and material support from federal and regional authorities, and the Church," said the organizer of the forum, Priest Roman, secretary of the Simbirsk Diocesan administration. Solodko. — A meeting is planned where young people and experts will be able to discuss how a modern person can combine a successful career and a happy family life. For some reason, many people believe that it is impossible to achieve harmony in this matter and it is necessary to make a choice in favor of family or career, but this is not the case at all. Having children is not an obstacle to self-realization, work, but on the contrary, it is a kind and most important motivation that encourages parents to new achievements. We can say that the main message of the event is to try to change attitudes towards starting a family and having children for the better. We want to tell you that nowadays, family life, just like it was many years ago, is the basis of happiness for every person. The family is a small Church, and it is very important for all of us not to forget this."