Equal Parents' Week is a civil rights movement and a human rights movement. Equal Parents' Week advocates that equality is not just a legal concept. The right of both parents to function as a parent, the right of children to be raised and nurtured by both parents, and the right of familes to exist and function as a family, are rights inherent and inalienable to all families. The Equal Parents' Week mandate for equal parent status is a mandate for the time it takes to love, nurture, and teach our children our values the only way we can...a mandate for the ability to be a parent...and a mandate for justice. 

The Children's Rights Council encourages everyone to support National Parents Day in recognition of its important mission to strengthen the role parents play in children's lives and advocating family values, objectives shared by the focus of Equal Parents' Week. 

"Parents' Day serves as a catalyst for creating awareness, programs, events and activities to support parents, strengthen families and build communities...to make [parents] aware of the important role that they play in not only raising their children, but the future leaders of our nation." 
Belinda Rollins 
President 
Parenting Coalition International

Equality imputes values: civil rights, conscience, and responsibility. We all have a responsibility to keep families together by promoting a system that values and protects both parents Families will be in crisis until the unconditional love and sacrifice, the need for both parents and for families to continue to function as families, individual self-respect and respect among all family members, are lived by each of us, and promoted and protected by our laws and by every component of our local and national governments and justice systems. 

NOTE TO ALL ORGANIZATIONS: All organizations are required to endorse the "Joint Statement by Participants in Equal Parents' Week" (see link on left) which sets forth fundamental principles of Equal Parents' Week, including the principles of equal sharing of parental rights and responsibilities by both parents and joint custody. 

As an international event, we are asking all organizations to join in "A Moment in our Hearts, A Moment of Solidarity" by holding as many public candelight vigils as possible throughout the world. 

All candelight vigils will be held on the same date and at the same time:  Thursday, September 29, 2005 at 7:30 p.m 

Please contact the International Coordinator to let us know you will be holding a public candlelight vigil. Please use the link to the left (Sign Up: Candlelight Vigils, Purple Ribbon Activities, Etc.) to sign up via email .  Please be sure to provide ALL the information requested in the link when signing up in order for your candelight vigil to be counted. 

We are urging all people who cannot attend a public candlelight vigil or who do not have one taking place near them to share in "A Moment in our Hearts, A  Moment of Solidarity" by holding their own "Home Vigil" and light a candle in their home for at least 15 minutes, on Thursday, September 29, 2005 at 7:30 pm, the same date and time as the public candelight vigils will be taking place.  A Home Vigil can be held by anyone, it can be held by a single person living alone, and include as few or as many people as you wish, so please invite as many of your family and friends as you like! Encourage your family and friends to participate in your Home Vigil, or to get involved by holding their own Home Vigil. 

Please contact the International Coordinator to let us know if you will be holding a Home Vigil, and use the link to the left to sign up.  Please be sure to provide ALL the information requested in the link when signing up in order for your Home Vigil to be counted. 
 

               WHAT CAN YOU DO?

Tie as many purple ribbons as you can
      everywhere they can be seen
Spread the word to your friends and families to
      tie purple ribbons and hold candlelight
      vigils to send this message
Organize a public candlight vigil or hold
      your own home vigil
Organize any other public activity with
     purple ribbons, i.e., picnics, gatherings,
      rallies, etc.
 Network with other organizations to 
      encourage their participation with purple
      ribbon activities and candelight vigils 
....YOU DON'T HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL EQUAL
          PARENTS' WEEK TO TIE YOUR PURPLE RIBBON!
....KEEP A PURPLE RIBBON TIED OUTSIDE YOUR
         HOME TO SEND A MESSAGE EVERY DAY!
 

Join in sending the message of Equal Parents' Week, and in sending the ongoing "Message" and "Message Behind the Message" that each purple ribbon sends. The purple ribbon is our symbol of the Equal Parents' Week ongoing movement of solidarity advocating parental equality and advocating protection of the civil rights of all family members by all levels of our government and justice systems. 

For Further Information, Please Contact: 

FOR INFORMATION ABOUT THE CHILDREN'S RIGHTS COUNCIL
Children's Rights Council, International Office
(301) 559-3120 
crcdc@erols.com 

Or a Local Chapter of the Children's Rights Council Nearest You
 
 

OTHER IMPORTANT ACTIVITIES  TO SUPPORT: Parenting Coalition Internaitonal CRC Noncustodial Parents Quilt CRC's National Children's Day Annual National Stepfamily Day: September 16