A pro-life art competition for children and teenagers in Poland has had its best year ever. Over the past year, Poland has been at the forefront of opposing abortion in Europe.

Many of the entries to the art competition were of unborn children in the shape of a heart – a motif popularised in Poland over the last 12 months.

Organiser of the competition, Magdalena Guziak-Nowak, director of education for the pro-life Polish Association of Defenders of Human Life, said: “We want from the very beginning to raise children’s awareness about the value of human life and show how valuable family is…

“This is the idea behind this anti-abortion competition. These competitions show the beauty of life.”

Pro-life Poland

Last year, Poland banned almost all abortion, after its top court ruled that abortion in the case of disability is unconstitutional and that unborn children with a foetal anomaly must be protected.

The decision led to an outpouring of support from SPUC supporters, as well as international pro-life leaders, including SPUC’s CEO John Smeaton, applauding Poland’s commitment to protect unborn children.

According to one poll, 75% of Polish people believe that abortion is “always wrong and can never be justified”.

Unfortunately, pro-abortion violence erupted in Poland after the court decision. Catholic statues were defaced, Masses were disrupted, and a priest was attacked.

Guziak-Nowak said: “This year there were more works about abortions than in the previous years…

“There is a child in a mother’s uterus, not just a piece of mysterious assembly of cells, or jelly, or whatever we can call it. I think that this campaign definitely had an educational effect.”

“A testament to the youth of Poland”

Michael Robinson, SPUC Director of Communications, said: “Protecting the unborn and upholding life is a matter of culture just as much as it is a matter of politics.

“The immediacy of such images strikes directly at the heart – and do come from the heart – affirming the truth about the unborn, which is that they matter, are worthy of love and have a right to life.

“These wonderful artworks are also a testament to the youth of Poland. Answering the pro-life call, these youngsters, responding with love and beauty, not hatred and violence, show that the future of Poland and its unborn is bright.

“Long may it continue. SPUC stands with Poland.”