Berlin, Germany - September 21, 2024

"Thousands of demonstrators marched silently through central Berlin on Saturday, September 21, 2024, in the annual "March for Life," organized by the Federal Association for the Right to Life, to protest against abortion, euthanasia, stem cell research, and pre-implantation genetic diagnosis. Participants gathered at the iconic Brandenburg Gate, carrying crosses symbolizing unborn children as they proceeded through the city center. The demonstration aims to promote a "culture of welcome" for every unborn child and calls for comprehensive information for women about the consequences of abortion. "

We believe that every human life begins at conception and deserves unconditional protection," a spokesperson for the organizers said. "We advocate for love and responsibility instead of abortion and urge the government to uphold the fundamental right to life as the highest human right."

The event included an ecumenical service and drew support from religious leaders and conservative politicians. Organizers presented the "Berlin Declaration," urging the government to reassess current abortion laws, prohibit prenatal diagnostics that do not serve the health of the mother or child, and ban all forms of assisted suicide. Counter-protesters gathered in significant numbers along the march route and on the opposite side of the Brandenburg Gate. Left-wing groups and advocates for reproductive rights organized demonstrations to voice their opposition, arguing that access to safe abortion is a fundamental aspect of women's freedom and self-determination.

The simultaneous demonstrations underscore the ongoing debate in Germany over abortion rights, euthanasia, and related bioethical issues. The Federal Association for the Right to Life, comprising 16 organizations, advocates for the protection of human life from conception to natural death. Counter-protesters criticized the march as an attempt to roll back women's rights. "Access to safe and legal abortion is a cornerstone of women's health and autonomy," said a representative from a reproductive rights group. "We must ensure that women continue to have the freedom to make choices about their bodies."