Press release of the Inter-Parliamentary Union
Geneva/New York, 21 July 2000
N° 2

One hundred and fifty Speakers of National Parliaments have already announced their intention to attend the Conference organised by the Inter-Parliamentary Union at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, from 30 August to 1 September 2000, as part of the Millennium Assembly. For the first time in history, a summit of presiding officers of national parliaments is being held in order to bring to the United Nations the voices of their electors.

The opening ceremony, which will be addressed by the UN Secretary-General, Mr Kofi Annan, will take place in the General Assembly Hall on Wednesday 30 August at 3 p.m.

"United Nations action must remain the cornerstone of strong and effective global cooperation. For the objectives of the Charter to be enforceable, it is evident that they need to be revitalised. Parliaments are uniquely placed to provide the United Nations with the political, human and financial support that it needs to act effectively and live up to its mandate. The Conference will provide the parliamentary contribution to the Millennium Assembly of the United Nations. If the UN is the organisation of national governments, the IPU is the organisation of national parliaments. Since both government and opposition parties are represented at the IPU, the organisation can justly claim to represent the full spectrum of democratic society" says Mrs. Najma Heptullah, President of the IPU Council (Governing Body), Vice-President of the Rajya Sabha (India's Council of States).

Along with the Presiding Officers of both Chambers (in the case of bicameral parliaments), the Presidents of IPU-associated regional parliamentary assemblies such as the European Parliament, and the representatives of organisations that have observer status with IPU are invited. The Heads of the UN Specialised Agencies and the WTO will also be present, along with the Permanent Representatives to the United Nations in New York.

The Conference will be presided over by Mrs. Najma Heptulla. She will be assisted by several Speakers, some of whom are from countries holding a permanent seat on the UN Security Council, who will chair parts of the Conference as Vice-Presidents. In addition to the inaugural speeches delivered by the UN Secretary-General and the President of the IPU Council at the opening ceremony, special addresses will be given at subsequent sessions by Mr Theo Ben Gurirab, President of the UNGA, Mr Mike Moore, Director General of the WTO, and Mr Mark Malloch Brown, UNDP Administrator and Chairperson of the United Nations Development Group.

Established in 1889, the IPU is the oldest of the world's multilateral political organisation. Based in Geneva, it currently has 138 affiliated national parliaments and 5 associated regional parliamentary assemblies. The IPU has a Liaison Office with the UN in New York.