The President of Switzerland, Ms. Micheline Calmy-Rey, welcomed some 1,400 delegates from 130 countries at the opening of the 125th IPU Assembly at Bernexpo. In attendance were the UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon, IPU President Theo-Ben Gurirab, the Speakers of both Houses of the Swiss Parliament, and the Mayor of Bern.
The Swiss President said that the IPU had a role to play in seeking answers to the challenges facing States and the international community today. “Your presence today in such large numbers”, she added, “attests to your faith in the IPU and its role in addressing these challenges”. She assured delegates that Bern would provide a working environment that was conducive to rich debates.
Recalling that Bern “was the seat of the first IPU Headquarters”, the Speaker of the Swiss National Council, Mr. Jean-René Germanier (Lower House), said that the Bernese State Councillor Charles-Albert Gobat had steered the organization for 17 years from his office in the old town. When the politician went on to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1902 for his commitment to advancing democracy and protecting human rights, “Bern was honoured and all IPU action found greater legitimacy”. He concluded by inviting the delegates to visit the recently refurbished Federal Palace.
The President of the Council of States (Upper House), Mr. Hansheiri Inderkum, explained that the Council of States still reflects the manner in which the Founding Fathers of Switzerland were able to peacefully resolve the dispute between towns and villages so that the Switzerland we know today could emerge. “I am convinced”, he said, “that our bicameral system has a future because it guarantees the country’s cohesion. I am likewise confident that the Inter-Parliamentary Union is in full bloom, for its contribution to international dialogue and to the achievement of the purposes of the United Nations is unmatched”.
According to the IPU President, a great deal of what is going to be discussed in the Swiss capital in the coming days reflects the preoccupations facing the world today. “Countries in North Africa and the Middle East are undergoing profound changes. Popular aspirations for freedom and democracy have brought challenges that were unimaginable only a year ago. Undemocratic rule and repression cannot advance peace and security in any country”, he added. Many countries, some of them not so far away from Switzerland, are going through tough economic times and uncertainty about the future. “Wherever we look, we see people suffering the consequences of crises and mismanagement, which are not of their making. As representatives of the people, we cannot let this sorry state of affairs continue”, he said.
The UN Secretary-General recalled that the United Nations Charter begins with the words “We the Peoples…”. That is why, he said, “wherever I go, I seek out parliamentarians. You represent the peoples’ voice … the peoples’ hopes … the peoples’ will”. This was a year of remarkable advances, he added: “We heard the peoples’ call in Côte d’Ivoire, South Soudan, North Africa and beyond. Now we must do our utmost to help these nations in transition. And we must put new emphasis on preventive diplomacy to preserve peace and build healthy democracies elsewhere. Women make up half the world’s population. They represent even more of its unrealized potential. In many ways, women are the world’s next emerging economy. We must expand women’s role in every sphere. And that means in parliament too”.
The Mayor of Bern, Mr. Alexander Tchäppät, said that the Swiss capital is famous for many reasons: the old town was among the fist places to be designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, and one of the oldest UN organizations is located in Bern, the Universal Postal Union.
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