More than 1,000 people made their way through the streets of Toledo, Spain on Saturday to recall and publicly defend “that life is a gift from God” during the March for Women and Life.

Archbishop Francisco Cerro Chaves of Toledo told participants April 2 that “it’s worth dedicating your life so that others may have life and have it in abundance.”

In addition to the march, more than 2,200 people participated in the Seventh Festival for Women and Life, held the same day at Our Lady of Infants diocesan school.

The registration fee for each participant helped finance the Mater Project, an archdiocesan response to the needs of mothers at risk of procuring abortion and those in vulnerable situations.

During the event, representatives of pro-life organizations read a document stating that “abortion is not a form of women’s liberation,” but rather “is the greatest violence against women and that’s why we women have never been such slaves as we are now.”

“Spain, by legalizing abortion, becomes a poor nation, a country that does not teach how to love but rather enforces violence, destroying peace. We demand that all political parties make the determination to defend the unborn and not allow a child to be rejected under any circumstances,” the statement read.

It also called for “confronting the culture of death, which brings violence, confusion and lies to society, to families, to women and men; to desperate situations.”  The pro-life organizations also called for responsibility and for a commitment to defending life.

The event concluded with a Mass at St. Julian of Toledo parish offered by Father Enrique del Álamo, episcopal vicar for laity, family and life, who gave a blessing to the expectant mothers who were present.