His Eminence Cardinal Renato Raffaele Martino, Honorary President of the Dignitatis Humanae Institute, has today confirmed the appointment of the Honourable Luca Volontè as Chairman of the Institute. Mr Volontè succeeds Lord Nicholas Windsor, who has served as chairman since October 2011.
Speaking on the appointment of the Italian MP, Cardinal Martino said: “The Institute has been extremely fortunate to have the assistance and support of Luca Volontè for a number of years, and we are delighted that this fruitful relationship is being formalised with his becoming our new chairman. Mr. Volontè is recognised internationally as a relentless campaigner for the promotion of human dignity, both within the Italian Parliament and in his capacity of President of the European People’s Party in the Parliamentary Assembly for the Council of Europe. With five parliamentary working groups on human dignity already established, and many more in development, Luca Volontè is ideally suited to reflect and further promote our international presence.”
The Cardinal proceeded to thank outgoing chairman Lord Nicholas Windsor for his commitment to the Institute during his time as Chairman: “under Lord Nicholas’ chairmanship the Institute has grown in size and stature, and he has led our campaigns against abortion with great dignity, passion and energy, and has been invaluable in helping to raise the profile of the Institute internationally.”
Lord Nicholas made the following statement: “It has been a great privilege to serve the Institute over the past year. It has been encouraging to see the ever-growing confidence in the defence of God-given human dignity and the expansion of the Parliamentary Working Groups on human dignity. I have found it an honour to campaign alongside my colleagues to this end, and I have every confidence that Luca will lead the Institute to further heights in the near future.”
The new Chairman, Luca Volontè concluded: “I would like to thank Lord Nicholas for the leadership he has shown on the international stage, and the principled commitment he has shown towards the defence of the dignity of all human beings, in particular the rights of the unborn, during his time as Chairman. His example will serve the Institute going forward, and I hope to build on the international ties already established under his chairmanship. In a short space of time, the Dignitatis Humanae Institute has made great strides in the fight-back against the militant secularism pervading contemporary politics and society. It is only through the recognition of every human beings innate dignity that we can build a healthy society with the traditional family at its base; and so it is a great privilege for me to join the Institute uniquely placed to promote this truth.”
