Conference: “Marriage as a legal and social institution in Poland”
Conference date: September 15-16, 2022
Venue: Juliusza Małachowskiego 17, 24-120 Kazimierz Dolny
Conference organized as part of the project: “The concept of marriage in the prism of the theory of imperative requirements”
Conference description:
On September 15-16, 2022, a conference on Marriage as a legal and social institution in Poland was held in Kazimierz Dolny, organized as part of a grant from the Ministry of Education and Science on The concept of marriage in the prism of imperative requirements theory. The event was held under the patronage of the Minister of Education and Science, Dr. Przemysław Czarnek, professor at the Catholic University of Lublin, and the Minister of Family and Social Policy, Ms. Marlena Maląg. The aim of the conference was to demonstrate that marriage in the traditional sense, understood as a union between a man and a woman, is not only a legal and social institution, but also, due to its special role in the process of strengthening patriotism and national ties, has the characteristics of a value, a good that is particularly protected in the legal sphere. The program was divided into five modules. The first module analyzed the institution of marriage from the perspective of strengthening patriotic values and the national identity of Poles. The second panel focused on the achievements of Polish constitutionalism, with particular emphasis on the work on the current Constitution of the Republic of Poland and the wording of Article 18 of the Constitution. The third module touched upon the right to marry as a fundamental right protected at the national, regional, and international levels. The next module was devoted to the understanding of marriage in the social sphere. The last substantive panel concerned the shaping of the definition and role of marriage in the media.
There is no doubt that, from the perspective of Poland’s difficult history, the family based on the marriage of a man and a woman was the basic social structure that passed on the element of national identity to subsequent generations. This thesis is confirmed by the particular involvement of the partitioning powers, and after World War II, the communist authorities, in undermining the authority of the family and promoting alternative forms of relationships that would replace traditional marriage. The special role of marriage and the family for the functioning of a sovereign state was emphasized by the normalization of this institution in the most important constitutional act of the state – the Constitution. However, it should be emphasized that marriage is not only an institution, but also the realization of one of the fundamental rights, which is emphasized not only in the constitutions of member states, but also in international agreements, including the ECHR. Today, the approach to the institution of marriage is influenced by various environments and models that change the existing understanding of marriage, pointing to new patterns of relationships between people living together as a family that are not directly related to Polish tradition. Media coverage and fashion trends influence the formation of attitudes, especially among young people, which is why it is so important to precisely define concepts in order to distinguish the traditional concept of marriage as a union between a man and a woman from partnerships or cohabitation, which also enjoy the right to respect for private life but are not synonymous with the institution of marriage. In order to meet these challenges, the conference program consisted of five modules. The first was devoted to analyzing the institution of marriage from the perspective of strengthening patriotic values and the national identity of the Polish people. The second referred to the achievements of Polish constitutionalism, with particular emphasis on the work on the current Constitution of the Republic of Poland and the wording of Article 18 of the Constitution. The third module addressed the right to marry as a fundamental right protected at the national, regional, and international levels. The last group of issues was devoted to the understanding of marriage in the social sphere.
