Bratislava, September 20, 2026 – The fifth National March for Life united tens of thousands of people from all over Slovakia in Bratislava today. Participants received a special greeting from Pope Leo XIV. The organizers called for the protection of every human life from conception to natural death and for the adoption of specific laws protecting life and human dignity, including a ban on surrogacy.
According to organizers‘ estimates, 30.000 people took part in the march. Participants gathered at Námestie slobody (Freedom Square), from where, following the main program, the march proceeded through the streets of Bratislava.
“Our long-term goal is the protection of every human life from conception to natural death. In our context, this primarily means the repeal of the unjust abortion law, which denies unborn children the right to life. At the same time, we want to be a society that does not leave a mother in need alone, but offers her real help and support,” stated Dmitrij Olšovský, spokesperson for the National March for Life.
March Greeted by Pope Leo XIV
A special moment of the program was the greeting from Pope Leo XIV to the participants of the National March for Life, following the precedent set by Pope Francis, who personally greeted the National March for Life in Košice in 2024. The greeting was delivered by the Apostolic Nuncio, Nicola Girasoli: “Pope Leo XIV turns with a warm greeting to the organizers and all participants of the National March for Life taking place in Bratislava. The Supreme Pontiff wishes that such a significant public event may become an opportunity for prayer and witness, awakening a renewed awareness of the precious gift of life received from God. A gift of life that must be welcomed and protected at every stage—from conception to natural death. The Holy Father simultaneously encourages the promotion of a culture capable of caring especially for the most vulnerable and defenseless, thereby contributing to the building of a more fraternal and supportive society. In this spirit, His Holiness assures them of his prayers, implores from the Lord an abundance of good fruits for this initiative and all its participants, and wholeheartedly imparts his Apostolic Blessing.”
On the Right Side of History
In the history of our nation, there are bright moments when we, as a community, were able to rightly recognize the values of justice and stand on the side of humanity. “There are moments we can be proud of as a nation, when we acted justly and stood on the right side of history. National Marches for Life are among these moments. Through them, we show that we care about justice, truth, and genuine love that is not selfish; about respect for life and the human dignity of every single person,” said Patrik Daniška, main coordinator of the National March for Life.
Protection of Life and a Complete Ban on Surrogacy
This year’s march again highlighted the long-standing demand for the protection of every human life. It also drew attention to three provisions of last year’s amendment to the Constitution of the Slovak Republic, which organizers argue must be reflected in specific laws: a ban on surrogacy, parental consent regarding education on sexual matters, and an end to sex designation changes that contradict biology.
“Surrogacy turns a child into a commodity and a woman’s body into a tool to fulfill someone else’s wish. However, a child is not a product, and a woman should not be a means to obtain one. We are convinced that surrogacy is contrary to the dignity of both the woman and the child,” said Milena Olšovská, spokesperson for the National March for Life.
The organizers are therefore issuing a petition calling on members of the National Council of the Slovak Republic to rigorously translate the constitutional ban on surrogacy into law and to enact a complete ban on agreements to bear a child for another in the Criminal Code.
International Guests and the Pain of Abortion
One of the main international guests was Olivia Maurel from France, who was herself born through surrogate motherhood and is now an international voice advocating for its global prohibition. “So when I speak against surrogate motherhood, I am not rejecting my own life. I love my life. I love my husband. I love my children. I am grateful to be alive. And precisely because every life has its own dignity, I can say that no child should begin life through a separation that was planned in advance,” Maurel stated.
Marie-Lys Pellissier, French spokesperson for the Marche pour la vie movement, highlighted the importance of long-term civic engagement for the protection of life. “Our message is universal. We defend the dignity of every human being, from conception to natural death. This truth and principle admits no exceptions. The role of society is to guarantee respect for life and care for the most vulnerable,” stated Pellissier. A graduate in ethical philosophy from the Sorbonne and co-founder of Génération pro-vie and Lejeune Académie, Pellissier is also active in France’s debate on euthanasia and assisted suicide.
Monika Krčmáriková, a mother of seven, shared that tears almost always come to her eyes when discussing abortion because she knows it is a new human being. “And that is the pain: that our womb, which was meant to be the first and safest place for a human life, becomes a place of death for millions of children,” Krčmáriková said.
The fifth National March for Life took place under the auspices of the Conference of Bishops of Slovakia. It is a civic and non-partisan event open to all people united by the effort to protect every human life. The program began on Saturday with a „Concert for Life“ and culminated on Sunday with the main event and a march through the streets of Bratislava.
