Welcomes the holding in 1993 of 4 regional and interregional preparatory meetings for the Year and hosted by the Governments of China, Colombia, Malta and Tunisia; welcomes the active involvement of non-governmental organizations in the preparatory process for the Year, including the convening of a world non-governmental organization forum entitled "Launching the International Year of the Family, 1994: Strengthening Families for the Well-being of Individuals and Societies", to be held at Valetta, Malta, 28 Nov.-2 Dec. 1993; also decides that, beginning in 1994, 15 May of every year shall be observed as the International Day of Families; decides to devote 2 plenary meetings at its 49th session to the implementation of the follow-up to the Year, and to designate those meetings as an international conference on families; calls for a concerted promotional and information campaign on behalf of the Year at the national, regional and international levels, with stong participation of the mass media; requests the Secretary-General: (a) to seek the views of member States of the Commission for Social Development on the desirability to work out a declaration on the role, responsibilities and rights of families on the occasion of the Year; (b) to plan adequate resources, including staff, with a view to ensuring effective observance of and follow-up to the Year; (c) to continue taking specific measures to give widespread publicity to the preparations for and observance of the Year, and to increase the dissemination of information on the subject; (d) to report at the 50th session, on the observance of the Year at the national, regional and international levels, and to submit specific proposals on the follow-up to the Year, including a draft plan of action.
