Parliamentarians convene in Bern to talk change
The 125th Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) has opened in Bern with the United Nations secretary-general urging states to restore the trust of their citizens.
Ban Ki-moon told the gathering on Sunday that in the wake of the global financial crisis, people were “losing trust in governments and institutions to do the right things”. Lawmakers had to resolve debt issues and offer reassurance citizens about the future.
The three-day assembly, hosted by the Swiss parliament, is being attended by 1,400 delegates, including legislators and speakers of parliament from 140 countries.
Welcoming the delegates, Swiss President Micheline Calmy-Rey said the Inter-Parliamentary Union had a role to play seeking answers to the challenges facing states and the international community. “Your presence today in such large numbers attests to your faith in the IPU and its role in addressing these challenges,” she said.
The international parliamentarians are debating a host of issues of international concern. These include nuclear disarmament, recent events in the Middle East and North Africa, regulation of the financial markets, global governance, access to health care for women and children, and the green economy.
This is the fourth time in its 122-year history that the organisation is holding its statutory Assembly in Bern. The first Assembly in the Swiss capital was held in 1892 and the last one dates back to 1952.
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