SHREVEPORT, La. - Thousands of concerned citizens, religious leaders and top elected officials will gather in Shreveport-Bossier on Saturday, Jan. 23, for the third annual Louisiana Life March North.

The event, themed "Life is Priceless," will consist of a march beginning at 10 a.m. from Bossier City's Louisiana Boardwalk, proceeding across the Texas Street Bridge to a gathering in Shreveport's Festival Plaza. At Festival Plaza the crowd will be treated to inspiring messages and live music and be provided with new opportunities to get involved in compassionate pro-life efforts.

"We are looking forward to gathering pro-life citizens of Louisiana to stand for the priceless value of human life," said Benjamin Clapper, executive director of Louisiana Right to Life. "Now more than ever, especially after videos show Planned Parenthood selling the body parts of aborted babies, we need to send a clear message that the commodification of human life is unacceptable in America."

Sponsors of the event include Louisiana Right to Life, the Northwest Louisiana Baptist Association, Louisiana Family Forum, Louisiana Conference of Catholic Bishops, United Pentecostal Church of Louisiana, Ark-La-Tex Crisis Pregnancy Center, and Heart of Hope Ministries.

The broad array of speakers for Saturday's rally includes Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry; State Rep. Mike Johnson; Dr. Gevan Spinney, president of the Louisiana Baptist Convention; Bishop Michael Duca, Diocese of Shreveport; Jodi Burns, Heart of Hope Ministries; Pastor James McMenis, Word of God Ministries; Vicki Brumley, Ark-La-Tex Crisis Pregnancy Center; Greg and Kim Banks, Black Advocates for Life;  Pastor Ben Brewster, Airline Drive Church of Christ; Dr. Brad Jurkovich, First Baptist Bossier; Chris Davis, coordinator, 40 Days for Life; Alicia Forrest, Ark-La-Tex CPC Director of Healthy Relationship Education; and the Rev. Lane Moore, director of Missions for the Northwest Louisiana Baptist Association.

The Shreveport-Bossier area is the "abortion capital" of Louisiana. According to numbers compiled by the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals, 3,953 abortions were performed at local abortion facilities in 2014 alone. That is up from 2013, when 3,803 abortions were performed in Shreveport-Bossier.

While the Louisiana Life March North is taking place in Shreveport, Louisiana Life March South will be taking place in Baton Rouge, with that march beginning at the Old State Capitol at 10 a.m. and culminating at the State Capitol.

Next Saturday, Jan. 30, the inaugural Louisiana Life March Central will be held in Alexandria. That march begins at 10 a.m. at Louisiana College in Pineville and concludes at the Alexandria Amphitheatre.

More information on each march can be found at lalifemarch.com.