“I am very happy that the representatives of local and regional authorities in Europe recognise the importance of celebrating diversity, including family diversity, and that they have included IFED among the list of activities that can be developed locally to promote a culture of acceptance in our towns and regions.”
Maria von Känel was founder of the day, and acted as coordinator of the IFED network and editor of the IFED Annual Reports since the first IFED celebration in 2012. The idea to create a special day once a year to celebrate and highlighting the diversity of families all over the world came to her in the course of her ongoing work on behalf of LGBT family rights in Switzerland.