A parliamentary delegation, led by Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh, will travel to Geneva, Switzerland, from March 23-27 to participate in the 148th Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU).
According to sources from the Rajya Sabha, Harivansh will address the General Debate on “Parliamentary Diplomacy: Building Bridges for Peace and Understanding” during the IPU Assembly. The delegation includes five Rajya Sabha members—S Niranjan Reddy, Kartikeya Sharma, Ashok Mittal, Prashanta Nanda, and Sumitra Balmik—along with PC Mody, Secretary General of the Rajya Sabha.
During the conference, Harivansh will also participate in discussions on various agenda items, including the meeting of the BRICS Parliamentary Coordination Forum, and hold bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the IPU.
The delegation will take part in meetings of different standing committees, such as the Standing Committee on Peace and International Security, the Standing Committee on Sustainable Development, the Standing Committee on Democracy and Human Rights, and the Standing Committee on United Nations Affairs. They will also participate in forums for young parliamentarians and women parliamentarians of the IPU.
Additionally, the delegation will discuss various global issues to highlight India’s role and contribution in those areas.
The Inter-Parliamentary Union is an international organization of national parliaments, established in 1889. Initially, IPU membership was for individual parliamentarians but now includes the legislatures of sovereign states. Currently, the IPU has 180 member countries and 13 regional parliamentary assemblies as associate members.